Here comes chapter 3! Now this one and the next three chapters were some of the more redundant ones of this story, at least in my opinion, so bear with me! I've tried my best to add some "oomph" into them so that they are at least enjoyable to read.

Enjoy :O

F.E.A.R.

FIRST ENCOUNTER ASSAULT RECON

INTERVAL 03 - ESCALATION

INFILTRATION

The "Point Man"

As I woke up, my vision started to come back to me in a blur. I saw Jin Sun-Kwon kneel down next to me with a Delta Force member by her. She was looking down at me saying "He's alive." The radio started working for me again and I could hear Betters voice. "Should I call in a medavac?" he said to Jin over the radio. She was inspecting me for any injuries I might have had. "He doesn't appear to be injured, although I don't know how he survived." Jin told him. Now that I think about it, I was perfectly fine. Last thing I remember before passing out was an large explosion and that little girl in the red dress.

"Worry about that later. I'm reading Fettel's transmitter near that position. We've got to take out that fucker, fast." Betters said over the radio. My sight was starting to fully came back to me as I was getting ready to stand back up. But man oh man, did I feel like crap right now.

"Jin, keep looking for Jankowski. I'm still reading his life signs." Better told her.

"You can't send him in alone, that's crazy!" Jin said hastily to my defense.

"He can take care of himself. Now move!" Betters finished.

I got back up on my feet with my rifle next to me. I picked it up and tried to steady myself. I looked over at Jin who had her arms crossed. Apparently, she wasn't too happy that I was going off on my own to find Fettel. And with Jankowski missing, I don't blame her. She told me with a look of concern "Be careful in there" as I nodded to her. The Delta Force member muttered a silent "You're lucky to be alive" as I started going down the alleyway up ahead. He had no idea how right he is. Hell, even I have no idea how lucky I still am.

I made my way forward further down the alley. I noticed some stairs next to me that led to the lower floor on the side of the building. Before I reached the stairs, an armored vehicle drove pass the alley in front of me which was all boarded up by wood. The Replicas must be on the move. As I entered the building, I noticed another dead body of a worker on the floor next to some bags of trash. The walls had been shot at, which means the Replicas most likely came through this way. Some funeral this guy must have had. Also, everything that had happened looked recent, so maybe I wasn't that far behind them. Making my way through this building, Den Mother was speaking to Betters again over the radio.

"Tomcat, looks like I'm not gonna be able to send you any reinforcements for a while. My helos just got diverted to Armacham headquarters. Something big is going on." he exclaimed.

"No shit. My people are right in the middle of it." Betters told him.

"I hear ya. I wish I was calling the shots." Den Mother said.

"Is it the same bad guys?" Betters asked him.

"Looks that way. I'm a little short on details." Den Mother finished.

"I guess this ain't a covert op anymore." Betters ended as the radio line was off.

My mind began to ponder what the Replicas would be doing at Armacham. As far as I knew, Armacham is just a billion dollar mega-corporation that specialized in state-of-the-art technology for space, weapons, and equipment. I doubt the soldiers and Fettel are there just to rob the place. Had to admit, I was disappointed that reinforcements would not be able to help us. But if they are that busy at Armacham, then I better end this now before more people die by some sick bastard's thrill ride.

Making my way from what looked like one of the engine rooms with a couple dead bodies, I found myself back outside. There was a large circular holding area, probably to help contain some bad water, with a walkway over it. A helicopter flew across from where I was up in the sky, probably belonging to those soldiers. I continued further down the walk way while noticing a ladder on the far right side that lead to what may have been part of their sewers. I'm going to have to figure out a way for this walkway to turn over to that area.

As I got to the other side of the walkway, I entered one of the smaller rooms inside one of the buildings up ahead where the control lever is. I pulled it up, and the walkway turned 90 degrees clockwise to where that ladder was. An lucky for me, there was another door here that I could use to get to that side. I noticed that one of the phones attached to the wall was blinking red. Maybe I can figure out what may have happened over here. I pressed Play on it with the machine saying "You have one new message."

"Mike, what the hell is going on over there! It sounded like an explosion. I can't get through to anybody. Call me back!" was said by a man possibly in his late 30's. He must be referring to the explosion that almost killed me.

The call was recent, which means there are probably more workers that aren't dead yet. I opened the door out of here and made it across to the ladder from the metal walkway. I went down one of the smaller ladders, and then down another before I made it to the lower floor underneath. Continuing onward, the light on the ceiling started to flicker. I sure hope this is just me. Making it to a set of small steps, I went down a dark narrow tunnel, with graffiti written on some the walls, probably from some kids who came here. Turning on my flashlight, I went ahead slowly with my weapon ready in case anything were to surprise me. The sound of quiet laughter was heard ahead of me. I looked down and noticed rats running away from the direction I was going.

This can't be good. My heart was beating loud, my breathing becoming difficult. Something was up ahead, and I wasn't sure if I was ready. I forced my legs to carry me forward. The other end of the tunnel had a light that was flickering. Before I reached the end, I saw that little girl. She ran to the right at the end of the tunnel where she disappeared from my sight. Following her with fear in my body, I got to the end and turned to the right where she went. She was gone. But she had no where to go, there was a wall right here.

I looked to the left and saw fresh blood in the darkness of one of the corners. Walking slowly, I went to the corner to investigate. It was remains of another person, their bones only left with steam coming off from it. That was when I saw the shadow of someone behind me. I turned around and saw the little girl again running to the side. I followed where she went only to see her gone. Where did she go? And what does she have to do with all this?

Deciding that I may have just been seeing things again, I turned to the ladder on the wall and made it up back to the surface. Another chopper flew by me as I looked up. More of the Replicas are probably being deployed. I went across another metal walkway to a building with blood and gunshots on the door and wall. I opened the door when I heard the Replicas speak over the radio.

"Echo 12, we have a possible intruder reported in your vicinity." one of them said.

"We haven't seen anything."

"Roger. Keep your eyes open." they finished. Thankfully, they don't know I'm here yet. Moving forward, I saw about two Replicas in another engine room. Both were on the upper floor, one next to a fire extinguisher and the other in a small room to the right. Not wanting to let them get the drop on me, I opened fire with my rifle on the one on the left killing him. The Replica on the right saw me and started opening fire. Taking cover by the wall, I returned fire to him. He took cover as well. Taking my chances, I ran to the room where he was at, and he was definitely surprised to see me. I shot him with several more bullets as they lead through the windows.

Continuing on through some hallways, I made it to large open area with large tanks on the floor below me. This were probably where this harbor filters the water in. I heard another Replica yell "Grenade out" and heard the sound of metal hit the floor in front of me. I ran back as far as I could before the explosion got me. I kicked in my reflexes, and ran back opening fire. I got the last two Replicas in the large room with my gun as their bodies fell down to the ground. Making my way down another hallway in front of me, I stopped when a metal fence was blocking my way. The door wouldn't open, probably having a lock on the handle.

Turning back, I noticed another metal fence in one of the corners, this time with a door I can cross through. I opened it and climbed the ladder next to it up. From where I was, it looked like some of the pipes that flowed through this place. That was when I looked ahead and saw that some of them almost looked like a path. It led to the other side back to the door I couldn't open.

Climbing on top on the pipes slowly, I made it across with no problems at all. There was a metal vent holder on the floor in front of me that led down. I banged on it with the butt of my rifle as it fell to the floor. After dropping down, I made it through a hallway with a door around the corner. Before I opened it, I heard more Replica activity in the other room, possibly to the far left side of it.

"Keep it tight. Echo 12 isn't responding."

"Do you need backup?"

"Negative. Stay put."

Making my way slowly through the room crouched down, I noticed a group of about four Replicas waiting for further orders. That was when I remembered I still had a couple grenades left. Time to see how these guys like it. I pulled it out, steadied my throwing arm, and threw it to the group of soldiers. It made contact with one of them and exploded taking the rest of those surprised bastards with him. Lucky me. I walked up to where the explosion was and made it past the dead bodies of the Replicas to a set of stairs that took me up. I went around the rail down some more hallways when I saw some fresh ammo and grenades on the table. Now I know my luck is getting better and I sure as hell am not gonna complain.

I refreshed my inventory and continued forward into another larger room. Taking cover after the sight of more Replicas coming down a ladder on the other side, I hid behind some of the larger pipes in the room. There were about three of them, and they are most likely looking for the team I just killed. That was when one of them must've noticed me and yelled "Threat sighted!". They started firing at me from a distance, forcing me into the defensive. I ran to the side into a small room on the right when I saw the Replicas through the window. They haven't noticed where I am yet so I took advantage at this and shot about two of them down through the windows. One began to run the other direction before I picked him off as well.

I went back from where I was and made it to the ladder these guys came down from on the 2nd floor. Climbing up, I went through some more hallways, with some of the doors unable to open because of the mess on the other side preventing me. I turned to one of the rooms on the left side and saw a laptop on the desk in the middle. It had documents opened of this place.

Betters informed us at the briefing that any and all laptops that look important on mission site should have the details forwarded to mission control. I typed in some information sending it to HQ for Betters to receive. I heard him tell me over the radio "The data's uploading now." as the files were being transferred.

"Interesting. I found a wastewater analysis summary addressed to an Armacham review committee. According to the abstract, there's some major contamination coming from upstream. I can't imagine why Armacham would be interested unless they're responsible." he finished as he went offline.

That was interesting. So the water is contaminated with some form of problem that is going on. The only questions where what it was and why Armacham would be interested with this. It's not like they own this place themselves. Something weird was going on, and only moving forward would we be able to figure out the answer. Making my way through some hallways with some lights working and others broken, I opened a set of double doors that led outside.

"Team, spread out" one of the Replicas said. I haven't seen them, and they haven't seen me, so I took cover behind one of the trash containers. With little ammo left in my rifle and needing to save up, I put my rifle to the side and drew my pistol. It was now or never, so I activated my reflexes and quickly took off to the side. I opened fire at two Replicas who were looking around, both taking several bullets to the chest and head. One of them yelled "Need reinforcements!" as he raised his weapon at me. I quickly shot him down dead when more Replicas opened fire at me from a distance. There were about three more of them on the other side, who look like they came from another building.

I took cover next to one of the smaller building in the middle of the area. I jumped back up and shot one of them down while the other two took cover. These guys are just not making it easy for me. I pulled out one grenade and threw it over to where they were. The explosion went off and I saw both of their bodies fly off to the side. Got 'em. Looks like this was the last of them.

I walked over to where they are by taking some small steps to the building they came from. Making it through some hallways with machines, I stopped at a rail that lead to a dark room with sewer water. There was a room with some lights working on the right that I could probably try to get to, but I need to find another way around. There was another hallway on the left where I could get to with the metal walkway across the rail. There was a ladder next to it that I could use to climb up.

Holding my breath, I climbed over the rail and jumped into the nasty sewer water. I swam to the ladder and climbed up to the metal walkway, catching my breath. Then my breath was taken away as I saw that little girl in red run across the room I had to get to, the light moving back and forth inside there. In order to catch up with her and figure out what the hell is going on, I made my way down the hallway and entered a room with some stairs that led to the upper floor. I climbed up the metal steps and followed the pipes down the dark passage to a ladder that led back down the other room. I slid down the ladder and made it to the room where that girl was.

A flash of light covered my eyes for a second as I saw her shadow walk slowly on the wall with the light shining towards it. I moved forward slowly following her when the flash of light consumed my sight again. Her shadow was gone and she was nowhere to be found. Just what is happening around here? There was a hole on the floor that led down to more bad water. With no other way to go, I jumped down into the water carefully. Next thing I knew, I was in a hallway I did not recognize.

There were cabinets to the side with a bright light shining beyond two double doors. But what really scared me was that half of the room from was filled with red blood. There was enough to where it reached up to my waist, some of it dripping down the walls next to me. This couldn't be happening... but it felt so real. I heard the cries of a baby and woman screaming in the room ahead of me, with a man in a lab coat having his back to the door. I don't know why I went there, but I was simply compelled to go there. To see what was going on. As I reached the door, a skeleton came from the blood and tried to grab me.

I was back in the room I jumped down to. There was no blood anywhere, just that same sewer water and supplies littered across the area. What is happening to me...?

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