Reaper and Vera moved through the hall toward the ARC Chamber. They moved quickly, their steps mirroring the others as they moved. Synchronized, like they had trained to be. Vera removed her pistols one by one and slipped out the mags, checking the bullet contents. She slammed each mag back into the gun and returned them to their holsters without missing a beat. She flicked her braids behind her head, clearing her line of sight.

"What's your count?" Reaper asked.

"Five and a fully loaded." she answered. "twelve shots total."

"Should've taken Mathiss' or Sky's backups." Reaper replied.

"Didn't think of that." Vera admitted.

Reaper snorted. "Manage to sneak into a high security facility without being seen and you forget to load up on ammunitions."

"Well I wasn't planning on company." She replied defensively. "Speaking of which, what's our plan?"

"Search and destroy." he answered. "Followed by get the fuck out before Taylor finds us."

Vera nodded. "Good plan."

"Thought you'd approve." Reaper said. "Gale, you copy?"

"Yes sir."

"You got eyes on the station?" he asked.

"I do, but I don't like what I'm seeing." she replied.

"Well, if you did I'd be very concern, Gale." Reaper said.

"What I mean, is that I'm not seeing anything." Gale explained. "Yes, I can see into the station, every corridor, every lab, and there's nothing. No monsters, no people."

Reaper frowned. There was no way that could be right. There wasn't many people on the other facility, but even with limited numbers, Hazard had to have gotten to some. There should be bodies or infected roaming the facility. Unless someone was screwing with them. "You check the server?"

"Yes sir. Someone hacked the system after we transported up here and fed the feed fake footage." Gale continued.

Reaper glanced toward Vera. "I don't suppose that was you trying to fool Taylor?"

Vera shook her head. "Data deletion is all I did."

"Gale, track the hack." he ordered.

"I already did." she paused.

"And?"

"And the server was hacked from outside the facility...on Earth." she finished.

"Der'mo." Vera muttered.

Reaper closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Taylor."

"Any change in the plan?" Gale asked.

"Negative. Regroup at the ARC Chamber, we're going through." Reaper ordered.

"Copy."

Vera sighed. "Taylor hacked the feed so we don't know what's waiting for us."

Reaper nodded. "He wants us just going in as blind as he is."

"First chance I get, I'm putting a bullet through his skull." Vera snapped.

"Not if I get to him first." Reaper replied.

"John!"

Reaper and Vera spun around just as Sam raced around the corner. She came to a stop just in front of them. She exhaled heavily. "It's gone."

Reaper frowned. "What's gone?"

"The pack." Sam gasped. "The data, the vials, it's all gone. someone took it."

Reaper's eyes grew wide. "You're sure?"

Sam nodded.

Reaper turned to Vera. "You didn't-"

"No." she answered quickly. Her eyes were wide and fearful, mirroring his own look. "I swear."

"Damnit." Reaper muttered. He spun on his heels and sprinted toward the chamber. He should have kept a better eye on the damn pack, but instead he tossed it into the open and allowed one of the soldier's to take it. Just another fuck up on his list.

"Who took it?" Vera panted, trying to keep up with him. Once upon a time, it was he who would try to keep pace with her. But with his enhanced chromosomes and her battered lung, Reaper easily surpassed her now, nearly leaving her an entire corridor behind.

"Doesn't matter, we have to get it back before-"

"System reboot complete. Renewed operations commencing."

"Shit." he muttered. They were so close. So close to stopping Taylor and the general was still going to win. "Vera cover Sam!" Reaper sprinted ahead of them, fully disappearing around the corridors. He raced through the halls and toward the ARC. He heard the sound of the chamber activating, the sound of someone transporting through the ARC. Reaper reached the door just as Gale and Skeet regrouped at the chamber, but Cal and Bio were nowhere to be found.

"Fall in!" Reaper ordered. "Bio and Cal already passed through. Move!"

"We have no idea what's on the other side." Gale reminded.

Reaper secured his weapon at the ready. "That's why I'm going through first." And with that, he stormed up onto the platform. His eyes were locked on the ARC fluid, ready to meet his fate back on earth. He watched as his reflection grew larger as he drew closer. He recognized the reflection, soldier who had eradicated the facility of infected. The soldier who had saved Sam and Vera. The same soldier who was going to end Taylor, no matter what he cost. "This shit ends here."

okay I know it was short, but the next few chapters will be action packed I promise!