Rainbow Six: Undercover
Act II
Chapter 17
Consequences
Monika rubbed her temple with her two fingers and tried to stand.
"Easy now, don't stand too quickly." A voice said to her.
Elias was crouched next to her. He took her hand and helped her sit up.
"It's nice of you to join us sleeping beauty." Elias joked trying to lighten the situation.
"Where am I? Why do I feel like I just got hit by a train?" Monika asked still massaging her temple.
"Hereford Base prison and feeling like you just got hit by a train is the usual side effect of being sedated."
"Wait, what? I was sedated?" She asked confused.
"Yeah, you and a bunch of operators got a nice dirt nap while I got my ass tased million times."
Monika looked out from behind the prison bars. The prison had the appearance of a medieval dungeon. It was very old and dilapidated as if it hadn't been used in decades. The only source of light came from 3 buzzing light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. One would flicker on and off occasionally. There were no windows. The walls were made from red brick. The bars to the cells were rusted. She could hear water dripping from the ceiling and the boots of the lone prison guard doing his rounds echoing off the prison walls filling the prison with an unnerving ambient noise. The air felt cold and moist. She thought she heard a rat scurry across the floor which skeeved her out. There was a slight draft that moaned through the chamber making it sound like the place was haunted.
Monika never believed in ghosts, but with the sounds the air was making she was beginning to change her mind.
There were cells surrounding Monika's which were holding the other operators. Everyone seemed to be sitting quietly minding their own business except for James. James and Mark Chandler were in the cell across from Monika and Elias. James was rambling about nonsense to Mark, who was sitting as far away from James as possible with his hands cupped over his ears with a look that screamed "please kill me."
Monika could also see Emmanuelle and Gilles in another cell. Ryad and Elena were in the cell next to them and so on.
It appeared that most of Rainbow Six was locked behind bars.
Monika counted with her finger all of the operators she saw in the prison. She counted 29 operators out of 40. They were missing 11. Her two teammates Dominic and Marius were nowhere to be found. She also couldn't find Eliza, Craig, Alexandr, Maxim, Seamus, Elzabieta, Taina, Jordan, and Mike. Monika sat against the wall and leaned her head back staring at the ceiling.
She began to worry about her teammates. She hoped they were okay.
Monika began to hear a light tapping sound coming from one end of the prison. She looked down the prison hall and saw Lera Melnikova leaning against the front of her cell hitting her head against the bars of her cell in a slow rhythmic motion.
"Lera, please stop before you give yourself a concussion." Gustave said from his corner of the cell they were sharing.
She tightened her grip around the prison bars turning her knuckles white. Her face cringed and grimaced like she could hear nails scraping along a chalk board that no one else could hear.
"I can't take it Gustave. The feeling. It won't go away."
"We're going to get your medication soon. Just try to stay calm." Gustave tried to reassure her.
Lera rolled her eyes.
"There's no way they'll let that fly. At this rate the only way I'll be able to get rid of the pins and needles feeling in my arms and legs is if I cut them off."
She giggled at the thought.
Then she began to cry.
Lera put her pointer finger in her mouth and bit down on it as hard as she could. Blood began to trickle out of her finger. She tasted the blood in her mouth. But she felt no pain in her hand this time. Only the pins and needles. The feeling in her hands had finally disappeared completely. Ever since she'd been locked up and denied her medication, which was a special nanobots injection she had created for herself, Lera's neuropathy had taken a turn for the worst making her lose all feeling in all her extremities leaving behind a continuous pins and needles feeling that worsened every day.
"Hey!" A voice called out.
Lera snapped back to reality. She looked up at a guard standing in front of her cell door.
"Your presence has been requested." The guard said unlocking Lera and Gustave's cell door.
Lera looked nervously back at Gustave who only sat in his corner of their cell not moving.
"Step out of the cell, turn around, and show me your hands." The guar commanded.
Lera followed his directions. He put her in handcuffs and shackled her ankles.
She couldn't tell if the handcuffs were cutting off her circulation or if it was just her imagination.
The guard shoved her forward.
Lera walked forward and followed the guards lead. Lera felt the air against her face get warmer as they ascended the stairs to the main lobby. Armed guards and people milled around conducting business. The upper floors of the prison had been turned into a UN command post. Lera was led into a room with a metal table and two metal folding chairs at the opposite end of the room.
She was seated in the chair and handcuffed to the table.
"Boss will be with you in a moment." The guard said and closed the door.
Lera looked around the room. She felt cold air-conditioned air on her face. The ceiling light was extremely bright. There was a blacked-out one-way window diagonal to her.
She felt as if she were being watched.
An older man with slicked black and grey hair opened the door and stepped into the room with a pile of folders. He was dressed in a military uniform, but it had no name tags or insignias. He placed the folders on the table and sat in the metal chair across the table from Lera. He stared at her looking her up and down.
"Dr. Lera Melnikova? Am I pronouncing that right?" He asked politely.
Lera didn't answer.
The man arched his eye brows and nodded.
"Alrighty then. Well hello, you can call me Overlord. I'm one of the officers in charge of assisting the United Nations in building the case against you and your team." He opened the folder and began to shuffle through documents.
The man spoke to her slowly. He thought about what he was going to say before he spoke. He sounded like a yankee.
"Soooo… Dr. Melnikova…you have quite the track record here. Born in Gomel, Belarus on July 1989, making you 28 years of age, three years after the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown…."
Lera stayed calm while he listened to her speak. He was just reading her background info so she wasn't worried.
"…You were born with a birth defect. Neuropathy that includes the slow degeneration of muscles and loss of sensation in the limbs and extremities."
Now she had Lera's attention. She stared at him wide eyed.
How the hell do they know about my neuropathy? Nobody knows except for my parents and Doc. I erased it from my record. How did they collect that data? She thought to herself.
Overlord continued reading her file.
"But that didn't stop you from pursuing your dreams of going to college. You went to Novosibirsk State University and graduated with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology yatee yata yata unimportant shit."
Overlord turned a page in her folder.
"While in academia you did lab research where you created, I wouldn't say a cure, but a crutch to slow down the neuropathy in your body called "nanobots." Then you enlisted in the Russian army and managed to wipe the evidence of your neuropathy off your record to avoid being disqualified, which is illegal by the way. You managed to make it into the Russian Spetsnaz as a CBRN specialist and eventually earned a spot in Rainbow using your nanobots gadget to give your team an edge on the battlefield. You've saved hundreds of lives and have become a very important operator to the team. Your nanobots give operators in the field a boost in focus, strength, and athleticism. I say Lera, you have definitely come a long way in your pathetic little life. Bravo."
Overlord closed her file and tossed it at Lera as if it were trash and she was the trash can. The folder slid off the table and paper scattered all over the floor.
Lera didn't say a word. She stared at the man with a look of hatred.
"You're probably wondering, 'man, how did he find out about my health condition if it was erased?' Let's just say it's impossible to keep secrets in this day and age. No secret is safe anymore and when secrets are revealed there are consequences that follow. Special forces are always fighting. Destroying everything in their paths not caring if it's the enemy or innocent women and children, while I have to clean it up, and they think they're safe behind the parts covered by black ink. They think no one can hold them accountable. Rainbow Six had its dirty little secrets revealed, and I am the consequence of that."
Lera continued to sit in silence. The words cut through her like a knife.
"Listen doctor, right now I'm not interested in pursuing your conviction of the war crimes your team has committed just yet. I'm more interested in your nanobots. Tell me about them."
Lera didn't answer.
"Silence is not answer I'm looking for doctor." Overlord getting frustrated.
She still sat in silence.
Overlord leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"I have what you want Lera. I have your medicine. I know how much you've been suffering without it."
Lera closed her eyes trying to tune out Overlord's voice.
"If you tell me about your nanobots. I'll give you your medicine."
Lera thought about the proposition. She needed her medicine before she lost all control of her body and lord only knows how quickly it'll happen.
"Okay. Fine. Give me my medicine first and then I'll talk." Lera demanded.
"Deal!" Overlord said enthusiastically clasping his hands together.
"We'll have to go to my laboratory though."
"Fine by me. Let's go for a walk, shall we? GUARD! LET US OUT!"
A guard came into the room and unhooked Finka from the table. Finka and Overlord walked out of the detention center and made their way toward the medical lab. Soldiers of mixed nationalities hustled about sorting through Rainbow's equipment and anything they thought was important.
They walked into the medical lab. It was partially ransacked from the SEAL raid. The SEALs found Lera holed up in her lab with Gustave when the fighting broke out in the dorms. The walls of the lab were covered in photographs of Lera with her friends, family, and other operators.
"You're gonna have to uncuff me." She said to the guard.
The guard looked at Overlord. He motioned for the guard to uncuff her.
"Try to escape and I'll put a bullet in your skull." The guard said as he uncuffed her.
"Yeah, good luck with that." She scoffed at the comment.
She walked over to a refrigerator and opened the door. She pulled out a syringe of silvery liquid with the name, "Mel" written on the side. She rolled up her sleeve. She injected the shot into one of her veins and pushed the silvery liquid into her blood stream.
She exhaled slowly and placed the syringe in a sharps container.
"You owe me now." Overlord said taking in Lera's desk chair.
"What do you want to know. You already read in my file, so you pretty much know everything already."
"The nanobots, you can manipulate them?"
"Yes… well it actually depends on the nanobot's purpose."
"Explain." Overlord commanded.
Lera showed him another syringe that had "Mel" written on it.
"These nanobots serve the purpose to fit my personal needs which is stimulating my nervous system, so I never lose feeling in my limbs. They run continuously but only have a lifespan of 24 hours hence why I take daily injections."
"And what about those?" Overlord said pointing to a massive glass closet filled with vials of bluish liquid.
"Those are adrenal boosting nanobots. They're the nanobots you read about in my file. Each operator is injected with a vial before an op. I can turn them on manually through a switch in my glove. The adrenal boost heightens the operator's senses, steadies their aim, and makes them stronger for a short period time. Pretty much what you read in my file is what you see there."
"Do you have any other kinds of nanobots?"
"Let's see, I created nanobots for the hospital to help speed up healing process. I also created nanobots that can fight pathogens. And I made nanobots that can domesticate animals. Rainbow was going to distribute them to help farmers in third world nations like in Africa to help with food supplies. The injection only lasts a few days, so the animals would need regular injections but so far, the results have been positive and we're ready to move on to deployment. That's all I've created so far." Lera explained showing Overlord the different types of nanobots in a different refrigerator. Overlord reached into the fridge and pulled out the nanobots for animal domestication.
"Does this work on humans?" He asked.
"Ummmm no. That's not their intended purpose. You'd probably have to double the dosage or something in order for it to work. Why?"
"Because Lera, 11 of your teammates are currently at large which has the public paranoid. Before the UN proceeds with their court cases, they want those 11 operators found to ease the public eye. I threw everything I had in taking out those operators, but nothing has worked. Meanwhile, I have the world's deadliest soldiers in all of mankind rotting away behind bars." He said rotating syringe in his hand and looking up at Lera.
"Maybe with your gadget, I can put your captured teammates to good use!" Overlord yelled taking the syringe and stabbing Lera in the neck with it. The silvery liquid pushed into her body. Lera fell to the floor holding her neck screaming.
Overlord pulled out a second syringe.
"Double the dosage, right?" He asked and stabbed Lera with the second syringe injecting her with the nanobots.
The guard stood frozen in place struggling to put together what he was witnessing.
Lera began to convulse and wheeze.
" sir, do do do you think we should get help?" The guard asked timidly.
"Shut up." Overlord snapped at the guard watching Lera.
After several minutes, Lera's episode seized. She laid on the floor unconscious and breathing shallowly.
"Lera? Lera? Can you hear me?" Overlord asked nudging her shoulder.
Lera shot up like she'd risen from the dead. She stared straight ahead into empty space.
"Lera… look at me." Overlord commanded snapping his fingers.
Lera stood up and turned slowly toward Overlord.
A devilish grin crept upon Overlord's face.
He began to chuckle to himself.
"Lera, or Finka." He corrected himself. "You'll be under my command from now on. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Lera said nodding.
"Good. Follow me."
Overlord, Lera, and the guard walked back to the prison cells.
The operators stood peering out from behind their prison bars at their teammate.
They could all sense something was wrong.
"Elias what's wrong with Lera?" Monika asked.
"I don't know." Elias said watching Lera.
"Who here is the operator with the most CQC experience?" Overlord asked to operators.
None of the operators spoke.
Then James spoke up.
"Guess that'd be me." He said looking around at the other operators.
"James, you egotistical asshole." Mark muttered while facepalming.
Overlord smiled at James.
"Oh, and you are?" He asked.
"James. James Porter, SAS." He said fearlessly.
"Perfect. You'll be my first test subject. Finka, kill James Porter please."
James's face turned pale.
"James, what the hell have you done?" Mark asked backing away from the front of the cell.
Finka walked toward the SAS cell. The guard opened the door and shoved Finka inside locking it behind her.
Lera stared down at James with lust for blood in her eyes.
"Lera, it's me. James. Listen to me; I don't want to hurt you." He said trying to reason with her.
Finka cracked her knuckles and raised her fists.
"Damnit it Lera." James muttered raising his fists getting into a fighting stance that he usually got into when he boxed.
Finka threw a right hook but James ducked under it with ease. He took few a step away from her.
"Come on Finka. I'm waiting." James mocked.
Finka tried throwing a few jabs at James which he deflected. James circled around Finka keeping close to the perimeter of the jail cell as if he were moving around a boxing ring. Finka let out a rebel yell and charged James. James side stepped her but Finka managed to grab a piece of James's leg. She got James into a single leg take down pile driving him to the floor. Finka got on top James and started to throw punches at his face. James kept his hands up protecting his face.
"Mark… a little help… would be nice." James said while blocking Finka's punches.
Mark charged Finka and tried to pull her off of his teammate.
Finka turned with cat like reflexes and punched Mark in the kidney. The other operators gasped at the sound of the impact.
"Fuck me…" Mark squeaked as he stumbled backward and fell.
"Mediocre Mark. Very mediocre." James said looking toward Mark disappointed.
Finka threw a left hook hitting James in the cheek. James managed to get a foot up and kick Finka in the stomach pushing her off of him. Finka stumbled back gasping for breath. James scrambled to his feet.
James knew he was in control of the fight. Finka couldn't break his defense no matter how hard she tried. He was the better fighter.
Finka threw more punches and kicks with unbelievable speed but James deflected and dodged every single one leaving Finka out of breath.
James backed away from her again trying to create distance.
Finka took a step forward ready to charge James.
"STOP!" Overlord yelled.
Finka looked toward Overlord and then back to James. James didn't break eye contact with his opponent.
"Finka, you're done. Go back to your cell. You've done enough. I am pleased with the results." Overlord said smiling.
Finka was escorted back into her cell with Gustave. Gustave stood as far away from Finka as possible with a look of fear in his eyes.
"This isn't over Lera. Things are just getting started." Overlord said to Finka as he walked past her cell.
Lera began to breath heavily. She fell to her knees and looked at her own hands.
"Lera? Are you okay? What did he do to you?" Gustave dared to ask.
"Gustave… the nanobots..."
Gustave realized what Overlord was planning.
"Oh mon dieu… (Oh my God)"
"I felt… like a machine with no control. It was horrifying." She said still trying to catch her breath.
She looked over to James's cell. James stared at her through the prison bars with a serious look.
"I'm sorry James." She muttered to him.
James turned his back to Finka to attend to Mark who was still on the ground groaning.
Lera curled up in a ball on the floor and closed her eyes trying to cope with the fact that she just betrayed her teammates.
…
Overlord sat with his feet propped up on Six's desk reading through operator profiles and looking at both blue and orange team playbooks. Orange team's strategies were defensive in nature. Revolving around holding down an objective with operators using stealthy roamers and anchors to hold lines of sight using their gadgets to help give them an edge in combat. While the orange team operators appeared to be very talented, they didn't possess the skill sets he was looking for. He placed all of orange team's operators to the side and looked at blue team. Blue team consisted of attacking and securing objectives. The operators on blue team possessed the skills and gadgets that Overlord desired. He began to flip through blue team's play book searching for a group of operators that would be best fit for the task he needed complete.
One of the specialized squads on blue team in the playbook caught his attention. He read the section about the particular group of operators and smiled.
"This squad on blue team is perfect and they're all locked up downstairs too." He said to himself.
He looked at the 11 folders that were kept separate from the group of operator profiles. It was the 11 operators that were still at large. Overlord had read their files.
Familiarizing himself with his enemy. Understanding their strength and weaknesses.
Each individual was extremely talented. Taking them out or capturing them would be challenging.
A specific detail caught his attention. He picked up a folder from the 11 missing operators. The file read "Bosak, Elzabieta."
I swore I just saw that last name somewhere else. Overlord thought to himself.
He shuffled through the folders of the other operators and sure enough he found a folder that read "Bosak, Zofia."
"Sisters, eh? Zofia is already locked up. This could add some dynamic to the playing field." He said staring at the two folders.
"Did you find what you were looking for sir?" A guard asked peeking his head inside the office.
"Yes actually. Please retrieve Dr. Melnikova from her cell. We have nanobots to make and a squad to assemble." Overlord ordered.
"Yes sir." The guard acknowledged the order and left the room.