The stalkers called "Duty" had let the girls through the checkpoint to the collection of miserable warehouses and abandoned factories that Duty had called home.

"Jeez, what a dump." Tomo said unaware that several armed Dutiers were adjacent.

"Well at least it's safe and we can get the supplies we need." Yomi sighed.

"Yeah... HEY! YOU THERE!" Tomo said waving to a passing stalker.

"What?" the tired stalker asked angrily.

Tomo opened her mouth before being interrupted by Kagura.

"We were looking for the bar."

"Just head through there and it's on the right." He said pointing to an empty garage.

"Thanks." Tomo said,

"Sure." Said the stalker less angry with exhaustion still evident.

They carried their wounded friend through the garage and down a flight of stairs underground.

"Well it sure is a bar." Yomi said looking around the place.

A large bar stood on the right as many tired stalkers stood around it groaning for food.

They walked up.

Yomi looked at Sakaki's leg and then at the bartender.

Tomo lunged at the bar. "Hey!" She said overly cheerful considering the situation. "My friend needs some... Ehh Yomi what does Sakaki need exactly?"

Yomi sighed. "We need some clean bandages and some antiseptic."

The bartender looked over. "Sure." He said in a deep, yet welcoming voice.

He bent down under the bar and picked up a bright red box.

"That'll be 150 rubles."

Osaka dug in her pocket for the money and pulled out 43 rubles, a ball of lint, 6 yen, and an empty shotgun shell.

"Umm... We need more."

Yomi also dug for some money but came back with nothing.

She looked to the others.

Tomo shrugged. "The damn trader didn't pay us."

They panicked looking for some money.

"I'll get that." Said an unknown voice.

They looked at the man who spoke up.

"Sure thing." The bartender said pulling out 5 new medkits from under the counter.

Kagura looked at the anonymous contributor. "What's with the help?"

"I figure some new stalkers could use some charity, that's all."

"Well thanks I guess."

"Anytime."

An hour passed as Yomi and Chiyo carefully treated the gunshot wound.

"Is that any better?" Chiyo asked.

"Yes." Sakaki said softly.

Tomo stood up. "Now that thats settled we should go see whats up with that weirdo who bought us this crap."

Osaka sat staring at her. "Didn't he just help us a lot though?"

"That's doesn't mean we can't grill him about something!"

She walked over to the stalker at the bar.

"Hey buddy!" She shouted for the whole bar to hear.

"Oh, hey." He said.

"Why'd you help us out so eagerly?"

"I thought I already explained that."

"Fine then whats your name?"

"... Okay then. Name's Nikolai." He said extending his hand.

Tomo snatched it immediately. "Takino Tomo at your service!" She said in her usual fashion of happily screaming her opinion without a second thought.

"Umm... sure." He said. He looked at her closer.

"Whats someone as young as you doing here in the zone?"

Tomo stopped shaking his hand as she realized what she was just asked.

"It's a long story." She said embarrassed. "But I need to make 900,000 rubles and however much it costs to fly 6 people outta here."

"You want your entire crew out of here too?"

"Yup! Wait why is that such a surprise?"

Nikolai looked around. "You can't trust too many people around here. Mostly these guys'll leave you for the rats if it means a new gun or few bucks."

Tomo looked shocked at the statement. "Thanks for the tip."

"Anytime." Tomo began to walk away. "Wait!" Said Nikolai.

Tomo looked over curiously.

"If you need money I've got a plan."

"Why do you need us?" Tomo said.

"It's pretty dangerous for one person. But as long as somebody is keeping an eye on whats going behind me... then it'll be a walk in the park."

"Really?"

"Yup. So what's the word?"

Tomo thought for a second.

"I'll go ask the others."

She squirmed through the people crowding bar to the others leaned against the wall to rest.

Yomi looked notice Tomo walk over. "Did he finally freak out and make you leave?"

"Uhh... no actually. He said that he has a plan to get all the money we need to leave."

Yomi's eyes eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yup he said that as long as someone comes with it'll be easy."

"Well there's 6 of us... this might be our ticket out."

"So we go with him?"

"Yeah go tell him we'll come with."

"Great!"

Tomo weaseled her way back to Nikolai.

"Hey! We've all decided to go with you."

"Great. Meet me outside tonight.

The group fell asleep for the rest of the day.

That night they awoke determined to leave the zone forever with whatever plan Nikolai had.

"You girls ready?" He asked as they walked up the stairs of the subterranean base.

Sakaki leaning against a piece of old pipe. "Ready."

Kagura looked over surprised. "Sakaki... y-your standing." She stuttered.

She nodded. "I can't run but I think I can still go."

Nikolai examined the wounded stalker.

"If you can't run then we'll make sure you aren't spotted to begin with." He said digging through a crate he left outside the bar.

"Here if you just stay far enough away they couldn't see you if they wanted to." He said handing her a massive rifle with a scope.

She looked at it amazed.

"You just want me to take this?"

Nikolai nodded. "It's called a dragunov SVD. Excellent gun I've tuned all the parts myself. Just take care of her."

Sakaki nodded.

Yomi looked at Nikolai. "Whats the plan?"

"Ok, we're going on an artifact hunt." He said pulling out a map. "We need to get here to a place called Pripyat." Pointing to the city. "It's been a ghost town since 1986 so it's gonna be a gold mine for artifacts and I hear that way below this apartment, someone didn't just stash guns and artifacts... but gold and jewels."

Kagura looked at him. "Are you sure?"

"I trust the guy who told me... I didn't do anything to piss him off at least.

"Okay if your sure I guess."

"Now then, we cant just take off for the stash, we're gonna need some better weapons and armor."

He moved his finger back to the duty base on the map. "First we need to head west to Lake Yantar and meet up with some ecologist friends of mine."

Osaka looked at Nikolai. "You've here for awhile haven't you?"

"2 full years and counting. Now these guys'll definitely sell the stuff we need. The reason I need you is because to get to Yantar we have to go through this place." He said pointing to a train yard to the west.

"That place is full of blood crazed mercenaries."

Chiyo looked frightened at this point. "Are they really that dangerous?"

"You know it." Nikolai went on.

"If you guys are still set on going to that stash then we'll have to leave now."

They all nodded in response.