Reaper dropped to his knees the second he passed through the ARC, bringing up with weapon. With the surveillance hacked from this side, they had no idea what they were walking into. But as Reaper rose to his feet and slowly drew from the platform, he questioned if maybe, just maybe, the feed was correct. The ARC chamber was empty of everyone who should have been waiting for their return, however, there were still signs that something had happened in the facility. Bloodied footprints dotted the floor, some complete footprints, others partial, but each print was mutated. There were streaks of blood mixed with the footprints, and like the bloodies prints, the blood was human. But beyond the bloodied prints and streaks across the floor, there was nothing. No bodies, no dismembered parts, no signs of weapons discharge, no destruction of the facility property. It was, relatively, normal.

Reaper paused his sweep when his eyes fell to Cal, who knelt near the chamber entrance. His back was toward Reaper, but Reaper knew that Cal was aware of his presence. His weapon was aimed out into the hall, as if he were waiting for something to jump at him, just as Reaper had. A quick sweep over his persons told Reaper that Cal didn't carry the pack on him. He couldn't have, Reaper knew that. Cal hadn't been anywhere near the pack when it was revealed. If he had it on him now, it either meant to be a frame job, or he was working with a partner, but his stature told him that Cal wasn't looking for a way out-not alone anyways.

"Bio came through just after the reboot." Cal explained, not moving from his position. "Wasn't surprised about, but I figured someone should go through and watch his back."

Reaper nodded slowly and came up along side him. "Any sightings?"

Cal shook his head. "Nothing."

"Bio?" As if he really needed to asked.

"Down the hall, left wall brace." Cal explained. "We needed some line of sight waiting for you guys."

Behind them, the ARC flashed brightly as Gale passed through. She dropped to her knees, but quickly got her bearings and retained her stomach contents. She staggered off the platform and moved toward the east door. Another flashed occurred and Skeet staggered through. He shook his head, trying to shake off the disorientation of the ARC. Skeet came up along the wall across from Gale. He brought up his weapon and took aim. Reaper quickly cast a glance over Gale and Skeet. Neither of them had the pack. Somehow, Reaper couldn't find it in himself to be surprised at the limiting options of suspects.

"Wasn't expecting this." Skeet whispered.

"Keep you eyes open." Reaper ordered. "We sweep the halls together."

"Copy that." Gale replied.

A flash of ARC light filled the room for a brief moment. In its passing, Vera stood on the platform. She hadn't ARC traveled for a few days and that had been hell, but this...this was far worse. The reassembling of her molecules was far worse than when she arrived for some reason. Maybe she wasn't as healed as she'd hoped, maybe the damage was far too extensive, or maybe she was just exhausted. She staggered a few steps from the core of the ARC and sank to her knees. She took a few steps and dropped to her knees, gagging violently.

Reaper glanced over his shoulder in Vera's direction. She looked far worse than any of the others. Hell this was the worse she'd looked since Russia. He couldn't help but compare this trip to the last. She hadn't gagged at all, but now she was trying not to choke to death.

One final flash filled the room as Sam landed on the platform. She dropped to her knees, but looked around. She briefly caught John's eyes, before finding Vera several feet away. Sam jogged to her side and helped Vera to her feet. Reaper turned back toward the hall in front of him.

"West corridor sweep first. Gale, Skeet, cover us. Vera, Sam, stay with us, but do not engage. Cal, cover right flank. I'm on point."

Vera and Sam headed toward the west door. Gale pulled back from the east entrance first, followed by Skeet. They moved into position, waiting for Reaper to start the sweep. Vera and Sam took their positions in front of Skeet and Gale, both carrying small caliber firearms. Vera would have felt better carrying a higher caliber weapon, but there wasn't one to spare. Sam tightened her grip on the gun, still unsure about whether her aim would be enough.

Reaper broke from his position and started into the corridor. He could see Bio's form just a few feet from him, right beside the corridor corner. Reaper zeroed in on the pack strapped to his waist. Surprise, surprise. He made two more steps before he paused. He stood in silence in front of his team, listening. He could hear something down the corridor, just around the corner, hidden from sight. The sickening, low. gurgling hiss.

"Bio fall back!"

But the warning came too late. Bio turned his head toward Reaper just as the arm of an Imp came around. The body came next. Its twisted form stood towering over Bio's oblivious form. Reaper lifted his rifle and fired at the Imp. But the creature struck first. It grabbed Bio by the face and dragged him off just as Reaper's shots hit the wall behind it. Bio's screams mixed with the Imp's cries and combined with the growing sounds. Reaper backtracked toward the ARC chamber just as a second Imp came around the corner. Reaper opened fire, but the Imp ducked behind the corner, effectively dodging Reapers shot.

"CONTACT!" Gale screened. Seconds later, gunfire rang out in the ARC chamber.

Reaper quickly backtracked into the chamber and found three Imps charging them. He opened fire with Gale, Skeet, and Cal. Shot cut through the air, but none hit their target, not even Reapers. The Imps easily dodged the bullets. Like they had higher brain functions. Reaper couldn't believe what he was seeing, the second one was in his shot it moved. The Imps moved around the chamber, growing closer toward the group. They shrieked and clawed at the soldiers, trying to rip them to shreds. Cal tried to get a lock, but they moved too fast for his liking. Reaper glanced back into the west entrance and spotted another group of Imps coming at them. They were trapped like rats with no way out.

How the hell did they get so smart? Reaper thought. He opened fired down the corridor, with the walls smaller than the ARC chamber, it bottle them off without a place to hide. He took down two of them, but more were coming. They needed cover, somewhere they could at least block out the Imp's attacks. He glanced into the chamber toward the level structural pillars. "Fall back to the pillars!"

"Down!" Vera screamed. She pushed Sam out of the line of a sweeping Imp claw, taking the hit herself. The claws racked over her back, slicing through her shirt and skin. the force sent Vera sliding across the floor toward the pillar. She cried out in agonizing pain but managed to get to her knees. The Imp turned on her and charged. Vera lifted her weapon and fired. The Imp dodged each bullet, drawing closer to her. Vera grit her teeth and reached into her boot. She pulled out her knife and hurled it toward the Imp. It ducked the blade, taking the bait. Vera fired again, this time hitting the Imp in the head. The Imp crumpled to the ground at Vera's feet, black blood oozing form its brain cavity. Vera stood above it, breaking heavily. She could feel the blood running down her back and spine. "Dak chto!"

"Dimitrov!" Gale called.

Vera turned, raising her weapon. A massive claw slammed into her chest, throwing her up onto the second level. Vera slammed onto the ground, the air knocked out of her body. Her body tensed as she tried to breathe. Down below, Reaper spun on the Imp and fired. The damn thing moved out of his line and dove at Cal. The drove Cal to the ground and sunk its teeth into the snipers chest. Cal screamed as the Imp ripped the vest and flesh from his body. the floor was immediately washed in a wave of crimson. The Imp spat the vest and shrieked in triumph. It drove its head back into Cal's chest, eating him alive. Cal tried to reach for his weapon, but the damn gun was out of reached. He coughed up blood while the Imp worked at his chest. He hadn't thought his life would end this shitty way. The Imp slammed its hand into Cal's head, forcing it to the side. Cal groaned in pain. He couldn't go out like this, not a meal. He looked out into the chamber. Reaper and Gale were nearly back to back, trying to take out the incoming monsters. Skeet stood several feet from them, covering Sam, but his eyes were on Cal. Cal knew that even if the man could, he'd put him out of his misery. Another rip at his chest made the blood come faster. It wouldn't be long now, but it was still too damn slow. Cal looked around...and found his vest. He reached for the thing, pulling at whatever he could. His fingers caught hold of one of the ST grenades. Cal winced as he pulled the grenade from his vest. A garbled cry of triumph escaped his lips. He popped the top and hit the bottom.

"Get down!" he managed.

Reaper looked at Cal and spotted the grenade in the man's hand. He pushed Gale toward the pillars. "Move!"

Skeet grabbed Sam and pushed her back. They raced up to the pillars. Cal chocked on his blood as the Imp's claws finally sliced through his heart, ending his misery. Sam ducked behind the pillar with Skeet right behind her. The detonator in Cal's dead head flashed as the countdown reached the end. Gale staggered behind the closest pillar. Reaper covered her as the grenade finally detonated around them.

The explosion shook the entire compound. A surge of intense heat swept through the chamber. Reaper pressed Gale closer against the pillar, protecting her from the heat. Fire ripped through the chamber with an ear splitting roar, engulfing every Imp in range. The fire engulfed Cal's body, turning it to ash within seconds. The Imp's caught in the blast shrieked in agony. The flame swarmed around the pillars, yet the far sides remained unscathed by the flames. The entire incineration took less than ten seconds.

The chamber fell silent. Nothing was heard beyond the pillars. Reaper looked up. The air was still hot, still hard to breathe. It stank of burnt flesh and ozone. He raised his weapon and stood up. Gale peeked out from the pillar, inspecting the remains. There wasn't much left. Every Imp had been incinerated. The only signs that there had been anything were the scorch marks of where they stood. Cal's body had been burnt away in the blast, his pool of blood now a scorched mark upon the floor and a warped dog tag. Skeet emerged from the pillar with Sam. No one could find the words to talk. Skeet shook his head in slow disbelief. Just hours ago Cal had been cleaning him out at poker. The damn prick was just too good at the game. Now the image of Cal being eaten alive was all that Skeet could see. All that remained of Cal and his sacrifice was a burn mark and a tag. No one deserved to go out like that. Cal had sacrificed himself to give them a chance. Four down now. It was becoming clear that none of them would even make out of the facility alive.

"What now?" Gale asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We move." Reaper answered. He stepped further into the chamber. "That blast bought us time, we waste, we waste Cal's sacrifice. Let's move."

"Vera could be alive." Sam said.

Reaper looked up at the second level. "I'll get her. You three move, now!"

Skeet nodded and moved to point. Sam quickly followed him with Gale not two steps behind. They moved quickly out of the chamber and into the east hall.

Reaper sprinted up the spiral staircase to the secondary level. He spotted Vera halfway across the floor, face down on the floor. He sprinted across the floor to her side. He could hear her ragged breaths as he reached her. Her black shirt was hanging to her body by only a few inched of fabric by her neck. The remainder hung wide open, now saturated in blood from the four claw marks on her back. Beneath the blood, Reaper spotted a massive, newly healed burn mark on her back. "Vera?"

Vera's face lifted from the floor. "Who...who did...?"

"Cal." he answered.

Vera exhaled painfully. "Damn..."

"I know. We gotta move." Reaper said. He grabbed her left arm and draped it over his shoulder. He carefully took hold of her waist, noting the blood that now covered her back. He lifted Vera to her feet, the effort causing her to groan painfully. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as the agonizing pain coursed through her back. "Suck it up, soldier."

"Fuck you, John." Vera muttered, her teeth clenched tightly. "That's the...fourth...time they...sliced me...up. Starting to...feel...like a...loaf of...bread...here."

"Scars add character." Reaper replied. He started down the stairs with her.

Vera groaned. Every step sent a wave of pain coursing through her back and she still hadn't managed to correct her breathing. "Fuck...you."

Reaper looked down at her. She was far too pale for his liking and her lips were starting to gain a tint of blue. She wasn't going to make it much longer, not in the state she was in. She needed immediate medical treatment. Reaper lowered her arm from his shoulders and immediately hooked his arm beneath her legs. He lifted her into his arms and carried her down the stairs. Vera groaned, but gave no other protests to the gesture, which concerned him even more. She needed to get to the infirmary now.

holy cow that was fun to write. hope you guys liked it. Kinda sad there's like three chapters left.

Dak chto! duck that