The vent seemed much larger than Sam remembered. There was a great deal of space between her arms and the vent walls. Had they always been this big? They must have for the Imp's to crawl through. She must have been too terrified to really notice the size of the vent. Sam crawled through the vent behind Skeet, who was having a harder time than Sam was. For Sam, the vents were perfectly size, for Vera it was massive, allowing her to actuallly crawl on her knees like Sam. But Skeet and John didn't manage as well and were forced to crawl on their stomachs. Their size restricted their movements in the vent system, if they needed to turn around, there was no way either men could.

Skeet grunted as he dragged himself through the vent. "How far is it to the elevator?"

"About a hundred meters." Sam answered.

"So what do we do once we get there?" Skeet asked. "Bio and Hazard are still patrolling the base and we don't have our weapons."

"You three are getting topside." John answered from behind Vera. "I'll deal wiht Bio nad Hazard and meet you on the surface."

"How the hell arw going to do that?" Skeet demaned.

"Did you not understand the entire 'superhuman or mutant' conversation?" Vera asked. She looked over her shoulder toward John. "He has a point though, without any weapons two on one won't be easy."

"I dealt with Sarge, I can handle Bio and Hazard." he answered.

"Sarge was partially mutated." Vera reminded. "And he still kicked your ass."

John shook his head. "You're not coming with me."

Vera stopped crawling and rolled onto her back. Even in the dark system, she could still see John. "You gonna stop me?"

Suddenly a pair of claws ripped into the vent, just beside Vera's legs. John grabbed her legs and pushed them from the claws. Sam and Skeet turned to look back in the vent. The Imp dragged its claws along the side, missing both John and Vera.

"Move!" John ordered. He knudged Vera's foot forward.

Vera quickly rolled over and started through the tunnel. Sam and Skeet were already moving again, but there was a large gap between Sam and Vera. And it cost them. Thorugh the gaping hole in the vent, John caught sight of the Imp moving ahead. It raised its claw, straight at Vera. John grabbed onto Vera's ankle and gave a yank. Vera gasped as she slid back seveal inches. The claws pierced through the vent where she had been seconds ago. The Imp moved down the hall toward John.

John pushed Vera forward. "Go!"

The Imp moved toward him, but stopped. It lifted its claws and prepared to attack. Vera was a good number of inches from him just reached the previous set of claw marks. John noticed how the claw gouges intersected with each other. His eyes widen in realization. He looked down at the Imp. The bastard wasn't trying to kill them. It was trying to-

"Vera!" John yelled, trying to stop her.

Vera turned toward him just as the Imp lashed out. Its claws pierced through the metal and ripped across the vent. The stability of the vent diminished the second the final slash connected with the first. The vent gave way beneath Vera, spilling her out into the hallway beneath them. Vera cried out as she tumbled from the vent system, scraping her arm on the shredded vent as she fell. She tumbled onto her back, looking up at the Imp. It turned toward her, growling visciously. Bits and pieces of Bio's uniform hung from his deformed body.

"Shit." she yelled. She kicked her legs back, pushing her across the floor.

The Imp moved toward her. It massive feet thundered against the floor. Blood dripped from its mouth.

John looked across the gap to Sam and Skeet. "You get her to the elevator and get topside!"

"John!"

"That's an order Skeet!" he yelled. John threw himself out of the vent. He curved his back midfall and landed on his knees. The impact caught the attention of the stalking Imp. It growled at him. "Yeah, that's right. Over here ugly."

The Imp shrieked and charged. John sprinted toward the Imp head on. John swung for the Imp, but it ducked beneath his arm. It came up just as fast as John's arm, bringing up its leg as it rose. It slammed its foot into his chest, sending him flying back down the hall. John slammed into the weapons gurney, sending the weapons spreading across the floor. John groaned and pushed himself onto his elbows. The Imp turned back toward Vera, snarling at her. Blood dripped from its mouth and onto the floor. It sprinted down the hall toward her.

"Shit." Vera muttered. She rolled backwards over her shoulder, reaching into her boot. Her fingers skimmed over her empty boot knife as she rose onto her feet. She'd left her knife in the ARC chamber, where it was now a pile of molded metal from the ST. She didn't jave a weapon anymore. "Shit!"

The Imp came down at her. Vera dove out of the way as its claws drove into th ground. The ground caved under the Imp's force where Vera had been moments ago.

"Shit!" she screamed.

The Imp turned its head toward her and snarled.

"Vera fall back!" John ordered. He stood on his knees and fired at the Imp.

The Imp shrieked and ducked the bullets.

"Move your ass!" John placed his foot on one of the pistols and kicked it out toward Vera. "Peremestit'!"

The gun slid across the floor, straight to Vera's hand. The cold metal hit her skin, bringing her back to her senses. She grabbed the gun and fired off two shots, driving the Imp further from her, but also emptying her mag. Sh rolled over her shoulder, toward John. "Zhurnal!"

"I got you covered!" John yelled. He fired again, driving the Imp further down the hall. Vera rolled up alongside him. She grabbed another mag and slammed it into her pistol. "We're wasting amo here."

"We don't exactly have a lot of options." Vera replied.

Bio shrieked blood murder at them.

John fired another shot, driving Bio down the hall. he glanced down at the weapons. Five pistols, and M16, and an asssault rifle. None of them were fully loaded. His eyes drew back to the assault rifle and M16. RRTS DNA scanners. He looked to Vera, who was now firing two pistols at the Imp. The Congo. It just might work. It was crazy, but right now that was all they had to go one. "I think I got an idea."

Vera paused shooting and glanced toward John. His voice hinted at somehting he wasn't saying. "How crazy is it?"

"Remember Congo?" he asked.

Vera held his gaze for a moment. "Which gun?"

"Both." he answered.

Vera nodded. She grabbed the straps of both weapons. "High or low?"

John ripped off several rods from the gurney. "I'll take low. Head for the ARC and double back once the first guns ready to go off."

The Imp shrieked at them, slowly stalking toward them. He leaned over, preparing to run. It was now twenty feet from them. John and Vera rose to their feet, ready to move. The Imp shrieked once more and charged, racing donw teh hall at top speed. John shouldered his weapon and transfered the two rods intos his hands. He stepped over the gurney, placing himself between Vera and the Imp. He stepped toward teh Imp, preparing for a confrontation. It was fifteen feet from them. He could hear Vera following a few steps behind him. He could hear the weapons clanging together against her back. Ten.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Gotovy."

Time. The Imp shrieked and swung at John's head. John dropped to his knee, ducking the Imp. The same moment he dropped and the Imp's arm had passed, Vera stepped on John's shoulder and launched herself at the Imp. She brought one of the guns up in front of her, placing her hands over the DNA reader. One foot hit the Imp's chest, while the other caught the pack strap at its waist. She looped her foot wihle simultaneously looping the gun strap around the Imp's neck, securing it tightly. Vera kicked off the Imp, ripping the pack from its waist. The weight of the gun on her back weighed her down, bringing her to the ground faster than usualy. She dropped to her knees several feet behind the Imp, gun clattering against the floor behind her. She spun on her knees, turing back around to face the Imp. It turned around, snarling at her. John burst from the ground and slammed one of the rods into the Imp's head, knockng it off balance. He dropped to his knees and turned, swiping the Imp's legs from beneath him. Vera rose to her feet and stepped backward. She swung up the rifle, initiating the DNA scan. She removed the strap from her body and tossed it to John. John easilly caught it and xsecured it around the Imp's leg before it hit the ground. The Imp slammed against the ground. John shoved one of the rods through its chest, pinning it to the floor. The Imp shrieked in pain. Blood poure from its wound, painting the floor black with its blood.

INCORRECT ID. called the robotic voice.

John reached back and grabbed Vera's arm. He pulled her forward, pushing her toward the ARC chamber. Simultaneously the warheads within both weapons detonated. John covered Vera as the weapons blew. The force was twice as strong as the detonation force back in the Congo, throwing them into the ARC chamber. The entire compound shook violently around them. The power fluctuated, several fixtures sparked around them. The heat was incredable, wrappeing around them abd surging through the compound. It ate away at his vest, leaving his back exposed. John pulled Vera against his body, protecting as much of her as he could.

Complete silence followed the blast. Had John not already lived the result once, he would've thought he'd gone deaf. He pushed himself up from the ground, looking at Vera's bloodied back. The lacerations must've reopened during the fight. Half of his tank was saturated in her blood and had bled onto his uniform. He brushed the hair from her face, revealing a trail of blood running from her ear. Panic of a perferated eardrum set in. John grabbed her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Vera." he called. "Can you hear me?"

Vera's eyes fluttered open. She winced for a moment and brought her hand to her head. "Yeah. I hear you."

John exhaled deeply and helped her sit up. He held her head in his hands, looking at her pupils for any dilation. But everything was normal. "What the hell were you thinking going back?"

Vera lowered her hand from her head. "I was thinking you'd want to do the honors."

John frowned. "The hell are you talking about?"

A smirked formed on Vera's lips. She lifted the tattered tactical pack that Bio had stolen from the infirmary. "Eto."

John stared at the pack in disbelief. In the commotion of trying to escape he'd forgotten about the pack. But Vera had gone back for it, to make sure it was destroyed. He looked back at Vera. She was a bloody mess but she hadn't failed him. She never had. She was covered in blood, boarderlining on passing out, exhausted, but she was still victorious. She was still the best damn partner he ever had. John pulled her toward him, pressing his lips against hers. Four years since he last felt her lips did nothing to diminish the feeling, finally giving in to what he wanted to do for so long. He felt her fingers trail down his jawline, grabbing a fistful of his shirt. He pulled from her slowly, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Chto eto bylo?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Something I should've done a while ago." He answered.

A small smile graced her lips, one that he hadn't seen in a long time. A true smile. Not one brought on by crude or sarcastic humor, or bitter memories. But a real, true, happy smile, and John couldn't help but return it.

Soemthign wet dripped onto the hand that had settled on her shoulder. John frowned and lifted his hand. Thick, black blood rolled down the back of his hand between his third and second knuckle on his left hand. His blood ran cold as the pooling blood on his hand grew larger with each drop. He slowly lifted his head toward teh ceiling, already knowing what he'd find.

Vera followed John's gaze toward the ceiling, travelling up the columns. She swallowed nervously as she stared above them. Her grip on his shirt tightened fearfully. "John...is...is that-?"

"Hazard." He answered.

What was once Hazard, had mutated into something neither one had ever expected. Hanging from the ceiling was Hazard...mutated and deformed beyond regocnition. He no longer resembled the man he once was, but he also didn't resemble any Imp or Hell Knight ever seen. The bulk and mass of a Knight had been elongated, the bone structure adjusted to allow the mass to contort to a new shape. It clung to the ceiling by its four massive claw, much like a frog sitting. It skull had seemingly pulled back during the mutation, exposing the brain cavity. There were no eyes visable on the face, but a long tongue streatched through the air. Its head twisted around and stared down at them directly. It open its mouth, dripping blood, and growling at them. John grabbed Vera's arm as he watched Hazard lept at them. He hurled Vera across the room, out of Hazards path. She slid across the floor toward the far entrance, near the surface elevator.

Hazard slammed down on top of John, pining him to the ground. Hazard bit down on John's outstreched arm, sinking his teeth down to the bone. John cried out in pain. Hazard shook his head viciously, nearly ripping John's arm off. John flipped Hazard off, the teeth ripped through the flesh as Hazard was thrown into the wall. Hazard flipped in the air, planting himself on the wall. John rolloed back over his shoulder, coming up onto his knees. His arm was instantly healed, but the blood still lingered on his arm. John reached behind his back and took hold of his weapon. Hazard cocked his head to one side, almost bird-like.

"Get topside." John ordered. He carefully took aim at Hazard.

Vera stood at the west entry of the chamber. She clutched the tactical pack in her left hand tightly. Her eyes shifted between John and Hazards mutated form. She took a single step back toward the corridor. The moment her foot hit the floor, Hazards gaze shot to her. He growled deeply and launched himself in her direction. vera had a split second to react. She threw herself to her left, narrowly missing Hazard's massive form coliding with her body. She hit the ground on her stomach. Pain surged through her battered body, but the adrenaline flooding her system kept the worst at bay. Vera planted her foot on the ground as she tried to rise.

Suddenly something warm and strong latched around Vera's ankle. She glanced down at her ankle, finding Hazard's tongue latched around her. Hazard growled and ripped his tongue toward him. Vera clawed at the smoothe ground, trying to catch something to hold onto. Hazard threw her across the room, back toward the east entrance. John launched himself into the air, catching Vera in his arms. They landed on the ground easily.

"I think we have a problem." Vera muttered as John set her back on the ground.

John nodded. "I'll keep him occupied. Get your ass topside."

"Then clear me a path." Vera said. She arched herself over the floor, preparing to spirnt across the chamber.

John aimed his weapon at Hazard. It cocked its head toward him, wtaching him to make a move. The second he fired a round, Hazard was going to move. Testing his theory, John fired a single shot at Hazard. Hazard leapt out of the bullets path before it could hit him, proving John's theory correct, unfortunately. John followed Hazard with his eyes as the Imp leapt up the wall.

The second she heard the gushot, Vera took off toward the hall. Her body ached all over, covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, but she kept running. The pack was clutched tightly in her hand. the hall grew closer as she drew nearer. But as before, Hazard's tongue wrapped around her, catching her by the wrist this time. He jerked her from the door, breaking the bones in her right arm. Vera hit the floor hard, stomach first. The pack fell form her graps and slid across the floor. Vera groaned and looked up. Hazard stalked toward her like a predator prepared to pounce.

A single shot whizzed past Hazard's head. He ducked beneath it and leapt away from Vera. John moved to her side and crouched beside her. "We have a problem."

"No kidding." Vera grutned as she managed to get to her knees. She craddled her right arm against her chest. "He's not gonna let us leave."

Hazard leapt down in front of them. John moved in fornt of Vera, placing himself between her and Hazard. THe pack was just a foots reach from him. He reached out, catching the pack's strap. The action caught Hazard's attention. his head cocked to one side, watching as John slid the pack towardthem. He growled and took a step forward. John paused to watch Hazard's reaction. He pulled the pack again, all the while watchign Hazard. John knelt to the ground and picked up the pack, but held it at arms length from his body. Hazard's gaze enver left the pack in his hand.

"He will." John answered. "As long as we leave the pack behind."

Vera frowned. "What?"

John moved the pack behind his back, still watching Hazard. "Pull one of the vials."

"What are-"

"Do it." he ordered.

Vera shook her head, but reached for the pack. Her fingers fumbled with the zipper of the pack. She reeached inside and grabbed one of the tainted vials of C24. "Now what?"

"Throw it behind us." he answered.

Vera tossed the vial toward the east hallway. The moment the vial was out of her grasp, Hazard launched himself at it. He caught it in his teeth and crushed it. The contents spilled down his throat and onto the floor. Hazard lapped it from the floor like a wild animal. Vera watched completely stunned until Joihn pulled her toward the pillars. They moved behind the closest pillar and watched Hazard.

"What the hell?" Vera asked. "How can he still be acting on Taylor's orders?"

"He's not." John answered. He glanced over his shoulder toward Hazard. "Watch how he's going after the syrum. Not under orders, but like a junkie going for a fix."

Vera frowed. "So he's maintaining a high?"

"Yeah." he replied. He dropped the pack onto the floor, pulling it open again. "Give me one of your ties."

"Bait plan?" she asled, pulling one of her briad ties. she shook the braid loose, letting the crimped hair fall against her shoulder. She watched as John wrapped the tie around the disks to keep them together. Her right hand trembled against her chest, throbbing in pain.

"Yeah." John finished tying the disks together and held them out toward her. "Hold onto those."

Vera took the disks and slid them into one of her large pockets along the side of her leg. "So what's the full plan?"

John took her hand and viewed her arm. "Use the vials and kill him. Spiral fracture. You need to keept your arm from moving." He reached for her left arm adn pulled the banaged from her skin.

Vera winced and looked back out into the chamber. Her eyes grew wide. The chamber was completely empty. Hazard had moved out of sight. "John?"

"He's on the west wall above the hall." he answered. He took the bandage and wrapped it around her body, pinning her broken arm against her chest. "Never could go a single mission without needing a medic, could you?"

Vera shot John a glare. "But you wouldn't have it any other way."

John tied the bandage tightly. "Damn straight. Get ready to run." He heaved up his weapon and grabbed the pack. He stepped out into the open, his eyes quickly finding Hazard.

Hazard instantly found him. He growled darkly and leapt onto the floor. John held his position. He caught sight of Vera easing ehr way behind Hazard. The Imp dind't seem to notice her, or didn't care now that she didn't have the pack. Vera passed Hazard and slippe dinto the hall, finally out of danger. John reached into his belt and pulled one of the ST grenades. He popped the top and hit the button. He slipped the grenade iinside the pack and tossed it toward the east entrance.

As predicted Hazard launched himself for the pack. He pounced on it, shattering several containers. But instead of trying to rip the pack apart, Hazard dleapt away just before the bomb blew. John threw himself behidn the pillar, waiting out the explosion. He steppe dout one the explosion subsided. The ground was singed where the pack had been, but Hazard was gone.

"Shit." John muttered. "So much for bait."

A deep growl caught his attentin. John turned his head and found Hazard crouching on the second level railing. His tongue ran through the air, dripping blood onto the floor. John tightened his grip on his weapon. Hazard adjusted his position, preparing to leap.

"Guess its just you and me Hazard."

As if he understood his word. Hazard hissed and threw himself into the air. John raised his weapon, but Hazard came down on top of him first. The force threw John onto his back. The claws pierced John's shoulder's, pinning him to the floor. Hazard snapped at John's face. John cringed, pressing his weapon against Hazard's body, trying to push him back. The air rushed around John's face with each snap of the jaws. He felt the gaze of Hazard's teeth, the closer her got. The bastard was trying to rip his face off. Hazard growled again and opened his jaw. His black tongue emerged from its mouth. It snaked aroudn in the open air toward John's head. John reeled back from the tongue as muhc as he could. The thick muscle wormed its way around John's neck. It tightened around his neck, cutting off the air. It slowly began pulling John's head toward its mouth. John struggled against the tongue. The claws in his shoulders pulled up from the ground, pulling him toward Hazard's mouth. The tongue tightened aroudn his next. He felt small barbs piercing his skin, ensuring its grip around his neck. John grunted and pushed his gun against Hazard's chest. The barbs and claws ripped at his skin. Blood ran from the open wound, filling the air with the scent. Hazard growled again, growling more vicious than before. He opened his mouth wider and lunged for John. John pressed the gun against Hazard's chets. The combined pressure between the two infected was compromising the guns stability. John could feel the weapon slowly start to buckle from the strain.

"Ey !"

Hazard turned. Standing several feet from the entrance was Vera. She raised her hand, holding a craked vial of C24. The cloudy liquid seeped from the vial and dripped onto the floor. Hazard unwrapped his tongue from John's neck. His claws retracked from John's shoulders and pushed him to the ground in the process of leaping toward Vera. Vera stood her ground, watching Hazard leap at her.

John rolled onto his side, following Hazard. "Move!"

Vera remained planted in her place, her eyes never left Hazard as he drew nearer. She watched as the inches between them closed. Her finger pushed off the top of an ST and pushed the detonator. "S"yesh' eto!" She flung the bomb and vial directly at Hazard's leaping form and threw herself back into the hallway.

The bomb tumbled through the air toward Hazard. As it came at the Imp, he seemed to sense what was with the vial, just as he had with the pack, but as he was in midair, he could do nearly nothing but turn its back.

The bomb detonated, encompassing the entire chamber. John covered his head as the third explosion shook the chamber. John heard Hazard scream as the blast caught him. The engery flickered over his body, eating away at his uniform and flesh. the blast died away as quickly as it happened, leaving a scent of burning ozone and charred flesh.

John pushed himself up from the floor. His shirt was charred, and hung from his body. Sections of his pants had singed holes, but were well enough in tact. The same could not be said for Hazard. The blast had caught him in the hind quarters, disintegrating nearly seventy percent of his lower body. The remaining amount of his body was charred. Even more, he was still alive. He lay on the ground, choking, gargling blood. He pawed the floor, trying to move. John slowly walked to Hazard's charred remains. He lifted his weapon and pressed it against Hazards skull. Beneath the barrel, Hazard tilted his head, looking up at John. Without hesitation, John pulled the trigger, ending Hazard's life once and for all, and that of his weapon. Black blood oozed from the wound, spilling onto the floor. John dropped his gun and walked into the west hallway.

FINALLY! holy cow this chapter was a pain! I hope all you readers appreciate how I typed till my fingers bled to finish this chapter! gah! OH! Just a warning. There will be...1 maybe 2 chapters left. And yes, you will hate me. hope you loved this chapter!

Oh, if there's any spelling errors, I blame the site because my word program does not have spellcheck!

translator:

Move it! Peremestit' yego!

Magazine! Zhurnal!

Ready? Gotovy?

This Eto

What was that? Chto eto bylo?

Eat this! S"yesh' eto!