Four days. Four very long, exhausting days and an equal number of nights. That's how long it took to recover the second generator and its fuel cans from their hiding place. The process had been a grueling series of bunny hops, securing the heavy cargo and moving what she could a short distance into a new hiding place. It took nearly 12 hours to get the fuel 100 meters on the first night, and another 30 to get the generator the same distance. All the while dodging roving patrols of drunken and furious bandits.
This all wasn't helped by the newest of her body's problems: Her eye. For reasons unknown it was stuck on a high light sensitivity mode, tuned for IR based night vision. Effectively, she was blind at day, so she could only effectively move at night. However, this also meant that she could be completely incapacitated by a mere flashlight, and the bandits were making plenty of use of such devices as they patrol the forest at night.
Still, despite a dozen close calls, she'd not needed to engage the bandits once since the initial night. It was something she was quite proud of once she at last set down the second generator in its final hiding spot. She was on the far side of the mountain, outside of the furthest patrol radius from the bandit camp and thus, relatively safe.
"Ahhh," She sighed, letting her body collapse to the ground, "I need a drink."
She curled up in the grass, letting the cool ground and air soak up the heat her body had built up lugging the stupid generator around. Unfortunately, the evening's hardships were far from over. The night was still young, and all this lovely equipment had a destination.
She gave her poor body a good twenty minutes of rest, and once they were up she got right back to her feet and started to pack.
Now that it was significantly safer to move, she could move everything at once. There was no more need to be able to drop everything and run at a moment's notice, so 16 filled her backpack with the fuel, and began lugging the generator in as straight a line as she could manage towards her destination.
She reached it about an hour and a half later, or at least, where she intended to store the goods for the time being. She stashed it all in a nearby bush, emptying her backpack of the fuel cans and then tying a small strip of fabric around a tree nearby the stash.
Then, she marched out from the trees and across the open field that separated her from the entrance to Jaeger's base.
She was certain that there was still a sentry watching the entrance to the minefield, and was hopeful she had been spotted already. She made a slow, leisurely approach to the trail with both of her hands raised to her shoulders. Sure enough, before she got within thirty feet of the trail, a figure emerged from the gloomy forest to meet her.
It wasn't Jaeger, rather one of the other hunters, but she was greeted kindly and the man proceeded to lead her through the mines without much fuss or any questions. Frankly, 16 found the latter a bit odd, expecting they'd regard her more suspiciously.
They didn't even search her.
The path through the mines was just as she remembered it, and the hill atop which Jaeger's camp was built soon loomed into view through the trees.
It seemed they had been busy since she'd last been, as there was now camo netting and brush raised up all around the camp, forming a shield that would keep outside eyes blind and light hidden within. She pushed in through a small opening in the netting, and entered the camp proper, only to be immediately blinded by light.
Based on the sound and warmth, they had a large bonfire going in the center of the camp.
"Ah, you're back."
It was Jaeger's voice, just a little ways away
"Hey," she greeted him with a small wave, guessing his rough location.
"Welcome back, what brings you here?"
"I've got some stuff I think you'll want, I wanna trade."
"Haha, well okay, what've you got?"
"A generator and two fuel cans, freshly liberated from your neighbors" she said, letting a little grin form on her lips as she did.
Jaeger was quiet for a moment, and he cleared his throat before finally responding, "So you're the reason they're so up in arms."
"Hehehe, yeah I didn't exactly ask their permission before taking it."
"How on earth did you get those things out without being killed?"
"I'm pretty sneaky when I want to do you want the goods or not?"
"Hmmm, I do, but I don't want to invite more trouble from these fools by taking them."
16 nodded, "Well I'm afraid you're already in their sights either way, I overheard that they intend to attack you guys again."
"I see, thank you for the warning. In that case I suppose there is no harm in it, what do you want in exchange?"
16 had come prepared, she quickly retrieved a list from her back pocket and held it out in Jaeger's direction. A moment later she felt it pulled from her hand.
"As much of that list as possible, please."
The list detailed essentially everything she immediately needed, from food, cookware, tools, and camping gear. But near the bottom was the item she was most hesitant to ask, but also the one she felt she needed most urgently.
"Hmmm, most of this is no issue, but a rifle?" she heard Jaeger ask, "Do you need one?"
"It's dangerous out there," she answered, "If you heard any of the commotion I made getting that generator out, you should know why."
"Right… do you know how to use one though, they aren't toys."
16 wanted to scoff, argue that she probably knew more about them than Jaeger did, but she held her tongue. Jaeger appeared to have a specific view of her, one that made her seem more innocent than she felt she was. She imagined that it was why she wasn't searched, and being treated with such trust, and it was something she didn't want to lose.
"Uh, yeah I know the basics. I don't want to pick any fights with it, I just need it mainly for defense, and maybe some hunting."
"I see, did you have a specific kind in mind then?"
"What do you have?"
"Most of what I have are shotguns, actually, but I do have a couple bolt action hunting rifles, and a few SKS's if you're familiar."
The latter caught her attention. It wasn't a weapon she would be too great with, but it was a marked upgrade from her obrez. Semi-automatic, in a common caliber and fairly easy to maintain with limited supplies.
"An SKS will work," she said, trying to keep her tone even, "and a few bullets, if you don't mind."
"Of course," he replied, "Considering what you've brought us, I'm happy to part with it. Now, that settled, do you mind telling me where the goods you brought are?"
"Oh, of course," 16 said, still feeling a bit guarded towards him as she still feared he may double cross her. However, she also felt she needed to take a little leap of faith here if she was going to get any further, "They're out a little ways in the woods, beneath a tree marked with a fabric ribbon. If you walk straight out from your entrance, you should find it quickly."
"Excellent, well I'll have your goods put together for you, so how about you sit down with us while we wait?"
"Haha, okay," she said.
16 took a couple moments to decide exactly where she ought to be standing, figuring that the brightest patch of the light currently blinding her was probably the fire. She judged her distance from it based on the heat, and was careful to feel around to make sure she wasn't too close to anyone else.
Eventually she settled on a spot she thought was nearby Jaeger, and plopped to the ground in a huff.
"You sound tired," Jaeger commented, the sound of his voice confirming his exact position as being near to her.
"I am," she muttered, being honest.
Her vision was a sea of blinding light and darker smudges, not of which she could recognize. She just wanted to shut her eye and let her mind rest, but the need to keep up appearances was overriding that desire.
"I have a bit of a random question for you."
"Haha, ask away."
"Do you know anyone who might know how to fix optical equipment?" she asked, trying her best to find Jaeger's silhouette amongst the smudges.
"Hmmm, Samoylov perhaps. He knows computers and technology quite well."
M16 sat up straight when Jaeger said that, her head now fixed right on where his voice was coming from while her mind whirled with thoughts. "Can he repair other things?"
"Oh yes," Jaeger chuckled, "There was never a machine he couldn't fix, our bosses loved him for that. They made him a foreman in record time because of it."
"Sounds like the guy I need…" She mumbled, "Do you know where I can find him?"
She heard Jaeger let out a sigh, "I am not so sure. I knew him when we both worked at the old number 16 chemical plant. We've kept in touch since I left, and last I heard he still works there. I haven't heard from him lately though, and I've heard fighting in that direction, and the military has set up over there too."
"I see…" 16 said quietly.
She laid back, resting her head on the ground and facing upwards, hands forming a steeple on her lower chest. Facing this way, she could start to see the night sky above, no longer washed out entirely by the campfire.
"Is there any way to him?"
"Perhaps…" Jaeger said in a thoughtful tone, "There may be one way. It's risky, but since you got the generator out from under those bandits' noses, perhaps you could make it."
16 sat right back up, "I'm listening."
"May I see your map?"
16 dug the item out of her freshly packed backpack, and held it open on her lap. Unfortunately, Jaeger then began to try and guide her gaze along the map with her finger, which didn't do much for her as the campfire completely obscured everything he was trying to point out to her.
"Uh, one second," she interrupted, then thinking for a moment before coming up with an idea, "Would you happen to have any sunglasses I could have? Sorry, it just came to mind."
"A night for random thoughts eh?" she heard him say, "We have a surplus, here."
16 held out her palm, and Jaeger dropped the glasses into them. She felt them up in her hand, opening them up and then holding them up to her face. As she did, a little spot of the otherwise blinding green-white void darkened a bit, with tendrils of light still swirling around it.
Putting the glasses on, the world around her darkened, not by a lot, but enough to actually see more than vague shapes. The glasses were just enough to actually let her recognize Jaeger, sitting by the fire next to her, alongside a few others near him.
She did feel a bit silly, admittedly, sitting by a campfire wearing sunglasses. Doubly so since she only had one usable eye, and was still wearing her eyepatch over the other.
"Is it too bright?" Jaeger asked, a strange tone in his voice, as if he couldn't decide if he should make a joke out of her, or be concerned.
"No no, just don't wanna lose my night vision too much. Anyway, you were saying…?" 16 rather bluntly shut the topic down while spinning what she felt was a reasonable excuse.
"Oh, yes."
Jaeger leaned over her shoulder as she presented her map once again, and he began to detail different aspects of the territory between them and the factory district. He pointed out where he'd seen the military checkpoints, and a possible way around them.
"If you do get in, there is no guarantee he will be there. However, you should search the machine shops below the offices. That's where he worked, so he may have left a clue as to where he is now. "
"I see. And if not?"
Jaeger pondered the question for a moment before replying, "Hmmmm, his apartment was further into the city, possibly too far, but he could be hiding out at the dorms with some other workers. Those are not far."
"Okay, does the military patrol through there too?"
"I doubt they patrol through it, but they may hold some roads."
16 scoffed, "Yeah, seems like that's all they're doing."
Jaeger nodded somberly, "Yes, that is a fair assessment. Their policy seems focused on containment, rather than helping the people."
"Typical," she spat under her breath.
"You speak as if you've seen this before?" Jaeger asked.
16 was briefly caught, not sure what to say and trying to school her face into not giving away her feelings. She'd been thinking of all her dealings in the past, with the soviet army and KCCO.
"I uh…. I was in the city when things went to shit, they didn't behave much differently there."
That wasn't really true, and she did feel a bit bad about lying like that as the military did actively try to help then. Though they may as well not have, considering how things wound up.
"I see," Jaeger said, "I suppose I never really asked, but are you from the city?"
"No," 16 replied, "I'm not."
"Then you picked a poor time to come."
"Haha," 16 half-heartedly laughed, "Yeah, not the first time I've heard that."
"Why did you come here then?"
"I was looking for someone."
"Who?"
16 pursed her lips, not sure whether to say. Jaeger picked up on her hesitation, and looked upward before clearing his throat.
"Well, never mind," he said, "We all have our secrets. I've mine, you've yours."
"Mmm," 16 hummed in agreement. With that, she got up onto her feet and threw on her backpack. It was about 0100, and about time for her to leave.
"Leaving so soon?"
16 nodded, "I found who I was looking for, I need to get back to them."
It was hard to tell, given the state of her vision, but Jaeger appeared to offer a small smile at the statement, "Ah, well then I wish you luck. You know your way out?"
"I do, and thank you."
16 made her way towards the trail leading from the camp, and was just at the edge of the forest when she heard Jaeger call back to her.
"I never caught your name, by the way."
"Call me Anna," She called back to him.
Jaeger waved goodbye to her, "Have a safe journey, Anna. Good luck."
M16 offered a wave over her shoulder as she descended into the forest, with a small smile on her lips as she went.
She took the scenic route back to the bunker, heading north out of the mines and up towards the river, bypassing the bandits altogether. She passed through the path Jaeger had led her on days prior, and proceeded on into an area defined by a number of ponds and small lakes hiding between the trees.
The night was alive with sounds, from rustling trees, to chirping crickets, to the clinking in her backpack that put a smile on her face.
Grinning ear to ear, M16 gazed up at the starlit night, and stared up at the ocean of little pinpricks above her head. The vast, distant galaxies lighting up the night. In night vision, the woods were almost as clear as day, with few to no shadows amongst the trees and lakes.
Along her path, she spotted a few old houses lined up along a road that ran parallel to the river. Together they would have been no more than a small village, and were all clearly abandoned. The grass around each had become overgrown, overtaking some of the smaller structures nearby like tool sheds or wooden garages.
16 made her way down the central road which passed through the village, intending to pass by without stopping. She nearly did too, making it to the last row of houses and nearly reaching the edge of town.
Then she had an idea.
"I wonder…" she muttered.
M16 stumbled over towards the nearest, and largest of the buildings. It was the tallest structure in the village, made almost entirely of wood and sitting on the edge of a small lake. It had a large steeple that made her wonder if it was meant to be used as a church, though she didn't find any iconography on the outside of the structure.
Stepping cautiously inside, she was greeted with a distinct smell of mildew and rot, probably from water eating at the wooden structure. In and of itself, not too surprising, but it did make her wonder how long this structure had been left there.
Sthe didn't let it bother her though, she wouldn't be here long.
16 began to scan around the room with her PEQ, and found that the place was decidedly not a church, more of a town hall maybe. It had a larger central chamber with several offshoots to each side, and there was a large table along the center of the room with dozens of chairs set along its length. Most of the smaller rooms were office sized and seemed equipped for the purpose, but two differed from the rest.
The first was a bedroom room, with a rotting mattress set in the center and a few personal items of some long gone resident, none of which were of interest to her. The second room however, was a kitchen. It was as barebones as could be, with one stove, an oven that was easily decades old, and little else. It did not appear to have been looted though, as she found several cans of food and some cast iron cookware after searching the various drawers and cabinets.
The real prize though, was found in the highest cabinet that sat above the stove. After clambering atop said stove to reach it, she found two dust covered bottles resting amid cobwebs inside.
"Well well well," she muttered, eagerly grabbing both and sloshing them around.
One appeared to have been opened, with only a few inches of liquid inside, whereas the other was still sealed. Dusting off the labels and holding the bottles up to her PEQ revealed both to be cognac of a brand she didn't know.
Not her beloved Jack, but it'd do the trick. With a satisfied smile she stuffed the bottles into her bag along with all the cans, pots, and pans that she could fit into what space remained.
When she emerged once more, something felt off. 16 glanced around, not sure what exactly was causing the feeling, but deep in her core she could sense a change in the air.
It was still, there was no wind blowing, or really any movement at all. Stranger still, the ambience she'd grown used to on her walk back grew strangely quiet, crickets no longer chirping, trees no longer rustling. Only she seemed to remain, clinking along down the road with a cold sweat running down her neck.
Her good eye darted from shadow to shadow, scanning for anything out of place, but nothing appeared.
Her other, still functional sensors were giving her nothing either, by all rights that should have been enough for her. If she were a much younger doll, it likely would have been.
She quickly got to the outskirts of the town, and paused in a small ditch near one of the outlying houses to stop and listen. There were about fifteen meters of open ground between her current position and the treeline, so she wanted to be as certain as was possible that it was safe to cross before doing so.
A few minutes of careful listening and observation, however, yielded nothing. The night remained silent, and the light from the stars above were more than enough to visually clear all directions.
But just as she stood, the air moved. It was slight, almost imperceptible, and something that didn't set off any alarms in her systems or sensors. It did however, terrify some deep part of her mind, and froze her body as a result.
She felt it again, and was far more sure of what she was sensing. Like a sixth sense, she knew that she was now being directly observed.
As slowly as she could manage, M16 craned her neck around and back towards the heart of the village.
She'd just looked there a moment before, had visually cleared it, had scanned so slowly and thoroughly that there was no way she could have missed what she now saw.
There were two figures, each dressed in black clothing, walking in her direction along the main road. They made no noise, their movements were nearly imperceptible. Were she not currently watching it, she wouldn't have believed they were there.
They moved strangely though, she noticed. Their pace was slightly off of what a human's ought to be, as if they had some kind of injury that made walking uncomfortable. 16 immediately unslung her new rifle, but then noticed something else in the corner of her eye.
To her left was another pair, walking along the far side of the lake. Unlike the two on the road though, these two were visibly armed with some kind of long-guns.
No others were visible, but she was no longer confident that that meant much.
The two on the road were still walking straight for her, and as they got closer they appeared to be able to see her, despite no NVD's on their heads. Something which shouldn't have been possible for a human as her current position was shrouded in shadows that ought to have rendered her invisible.
What their intentions were, she wasn't sure, but 16 wasn't in the mood to take chances.
Instead, she grabbed her PEQ and flicked on the IR laser, pointing it at the center of mass of one of the men approaching her. Both stopped on the spot. Somehow, they could see the laser, which likely also meant they could see her to some degree.
Her mind flashed back to an encounter in the tunnels from days ago, of crying figures in the dark who seemed like they could see her in IR light.
16 slowly rose, carefully pointing her weapon's muzzle downward so as to not antagonize these men more than necessary, but still showing that she had teeth.
The message appeared to have been received, as both men raised their hands up to their shoulders with palms open. 16 glanced to her left, and noted the other two men had gone to ground and were only just barely visible amongst the grass and trees. To show they hadn't gone unnoticed, she flashed her laser over their position as well, hovering it over their rough position before returning it to the two in front of her.
The men on the road began to back off, taking measured steps away from her and towards the nearest of the houses.16 dared not take her gaze off them or the two flanking her for more than a few moments each, only looking away to scan the rest of the treeline for any others.
"That's it, just a little more," she muttered under her breath.
When the two on the road slipped into cover, 16 got up out of her ditch, weapon raised in the general direction of the other pair, and began to jog across the open field that was between her and the relative safety of the trees. All the while, watching intently for any hint of movement or hostility from them.
None was forthcoming, and she made it to the trees without incident.
16 stopped behind one of the first large trees she reached, and leaned up against the farside to give her body a chance to cool off and recover. She peeked around the tree as she did, checking to see if she was still being followed, however, she didn't see anyone.
"What the hell…" she muttered.
She needed to leave, she felt an almost primal urge to flee off into the night without ever looking back. Somehow though, she suspected that was what these strange men were hoping she would do.
Instead, she made a slow, methodical exit from the area, always looking back, scanning from behind cover and concealment, and always listening. Eventually she made it to the bridge on her map, and as the sounds of slowly running water filled the air, the forest seemed to return to life.
She spent several minutes lying in wait near the bridge, looking for any who may be watching it. There was another small village near the bridge, just along the road that connected to the one she'd been following, and she found herself scanning in that direction as well for any other moving shapes in the darkness.
None presented themselves, so just as the sun began to peek over the distant horizon, M16 crossed and made for her bunker.
Even as she passed through the now more familiar parts of the forest, sunglasses helpfully filtering just enough light for her to see in the early dawn, she couldn't shake a feeling of being stalked.
It wasn't until she at last descended down into the dark, damp bunker, and collapsed to the ground that she began to feel at all secure. Unconsciously, she slipped a hand into her bag and withdrew the unsealed bottle of cognac. 16 unscrewed the cap, and took a sniff.
"Oh, oh wow," she recoiled as a wave of spice filled alcohol hit her nose. Though simulated, the burning sensation in her nostrils felt very real to her, "Jeez, is this 80% or some shit. You could clean a wound with this."
Despite the smell 16 still raised the bottle to her lips, albeit with some trepidation, and took a sip. She nearly gagged on the liquid, but managed to get a small bit of it down her throat, the fiery liquid burning all the way.
Yet, a small sense of calm went with it, her body releasing some tension as she leaned up against the bunker wall opposite M4, gazing on her sister as she took a few more little sips from the bottle.
"God, this was a weird night," M16 muttered, "Wish you were in one piece M4, I could use the help."
As expected, no response, but 16 wasn't expecting one. She'd gotten into the habit of recounting her nights to her sister, finding that it helped her make sense of their situation.
She began recounting the night's events to M4, showing off the different items she'd gotten from Jaeger, and the bottles and other loot from the house.
After showing off the items, she paused.
"There was… something else too. I don't really get it, but there were men outside when I came back out. I didn't see them at first, but it's… it's like I felt their presence before I ever saw them. Then I looked back and poof!" she made a mock explosion with her hands, "there they were. No noises or anything, they just appeared."
She sighed, leaning back and taking another burning sip, "I dunno, maybe I'm just to beat up, malfunctioning, but they really spooked me."
"...idn't think anything ….ould scare you…"
16 froze as the transmission came through. It was undeniably M4's voice, even despite the static.
"M4?"
"... Not Lunasia, I…"
Not Lunasia? Lunasia was, in some sense, M4's true name. M4 would disagree of course, M16 did too, but the list of people who even knew that name and M4's association with it was a short one. Most who did were not friendly either. The signal was undeniably coming from M4 in any case.
"Who are you?" she asked aloud, her voice measured.
"Lunasia cal… Dandelion."
M16's brow furrowed. Dandelion. She'd heard that name before. M4 had been yelling to her beneath Paldiski, asking what she'd done.
"Okay… Dandelion? What are you? A friend of M4's?"
"... hope so."
M16 could've sworn she heard a little chuckle in the garbled transmission.
"Hmmm," 16 groaned, taking another sip of cognac before capping the bottle, "Where are you? Are you nearby?"
" wh- are you?"
16 took a guess as to what she was trying to say.
"We're just outside a city called Tarkov."
"Tarkov?"
"I've never heard of it before either."
" The Starfish brought you there?"
"Yes, we think."
"...see…"
"Are you with Griffin?"
"Yes, I'm… the commander now."
16 froze, her finger squeezing around her ring.
"Wou… like to speak to him?"
"No, please don't tell him anything about us, until we know more about our situation at least."
"Okay… do yo… help?"
"I don't copy. Your transmissions are garbled."
"L- wise."
16 furrowed her brow, "How are you transmitting through M4?"
"Lunasia and I…. connected. I…. OGAS until recently."
16's eyes narrowed, "Are you an OGAS instance?"
"Yes."
That explained why she was speaking through M4, Dandelion was a part of her neural cloud as a kind of viral consciousness. However, she also said she was near, or with the commander. In a position to speak to him which M4's body was clearly not. There must be something else going on, but 16 wasn't sure what.
She could trust the commander's judgment on her at least. Assuming she wasn't outright lying about it, if the commander was associating with Dandelion, she must not be too untrustworthy.
"Do you know M4's condition?"
"Not re-y, only what you've said. Ou… connection is weak."
"She's in bad shape, but I may have found someone who may be able to repair her. I'll have to get to him first though."
"...far away?"
"No, but it's gonna be trouble getting to him."
"Okay… be careful. "
"Heh, thanks I guess."
Dandelion ceased her transmissions at that point, and M16 was left again with only the rumble of the generator.
16 sighed. She got up and retrieved one of the blankets she'd gotten from Jaeger, and wrapped herself up in it before laying down on the cold concrete and shutting her eyes. She was in for another long night, but for the rest of the day she would sleep and recover.
Dusk was falling over the woods, with growing shadows and long rays of light dancing amid the trees and reflecting off the lakes and streams. Birds fluttered about in the canopy, while smaller woodland life scurried along the forest floor.
A gentle breeze blew between the trees, causing them to creak and groan as they swayed. That same breeze also blew through 16, ruffling the white strands of hair peeking out from beneath her beanie.
She'd tied her long hair into a bun and tucked beneath her hat, and put on a warming layer and camo overcoat. She'd gotten both of them from Jaeger the prior night, and gotten some matching camo pants. The coat and pants were a few sizes too big, but they were the closest he'd had and were quite warm, so she was happy to have them.
She also brought her new rifle, of course, holding the SKS in its sling on her back as she trekked alongside her pack that she'd filled with food and cookware. She'd done a better job at securing all her gear tonight, testing a few times to see whether they would clink in her pack as she ran or walked before she was satisfied.
Just before nightfall 16 made it back to the bridge, where she was surprised to find another person already crossing. He was in his mid thirties or so, tall, lanky, with a short brown beard. He was dressed in civilian clothing, with no visible weapons, but something about him seemed a little strange.
What it was, she couldn't say, but considering some of her other recent encounters she decided to not bother investigating. Instead she hid in the shadows of some trees and waited until he disappeared into the woods once more before emerging.
It was now dark enough to see without her shades, so she slipped them into her breast pocket and continued on into the night, over the bridge, through the small town that lay a bit further along the road, and into the hills and trees beyond.
After about a kilometer or so, 16 crested the top of a small hill to find a flood of white lights shining over an open field before her. The lights were bright enough to warrant her putting the glasses back on to see, though when she did she got a good look at their source.
It was as Jaeger had described, the military was set up along this border of the nature reserve. They were set up in three distinct positions. One was a small isolated base constructed partially from prefab structures and shipping containers and set out in the middle of a field, while the other two appeared more like checkpoints set along the main road that ran along the edge of the nature reserve. There were a dozen vehicles parked around the base, including some tanks and BTRs, and the checkpoints were each manned by one tank, one BTR, and half a dozen infantry with emplaced weapons.
All three positions had flood and searchlights reaching out into the night, with the latter illuminating the open fields between their positions and the treeline in roaming search patterns. If doctrine was anything like what she was familiar with, there were likely foot patrols roaming around the base as well.
Unfortunately, the two checkpoints were along the two roads that lead towards the factory district, and the space between was covered by a tall concrete wall topped with barbed wire. Once upon a time such an obstacle would have posed little challenge to her, but now…
"I'll probably throw something if I try," she chuckled.
Her body was in no condition for scaling such an obstacle, certainly not at night with a time constraint from the army's patrols.
There was no need however, M16 had another way through.
Not far from one of the checkpoints was an old, collapsing warehouse sitting by itself in a field. The place was largely unremarkable, having been apparently left to rot by whomever had one owned it, save for one thing.
16 ducked into the old structure and began searching along the floor, until she eventually found what she'd come there for: a hatch.
It was small and made of steel, just barely enough for a person to squeeze through. According to Jaeger, this led into a tunnel that would bring her right to the factory. It had been used to smuggle booze in back when Jaeger worked security there, and indeed when M16 hopped down into the darkness that lay below, she stumbled upon a dozen broken bottles scattered across the floor.
The place smelled dusty, with hints of old booze in the air, and lighting up her PEQ revealed a veil of dust hanging in the air, reflecting like little stars in the IR light.
The tunnel was built similarly to the one's she'd trekked through after escaping the lab, with similar soviet hallmarks, but somehow it appeared even more rundown than those. Perhaps a consequence of actually being used and disturbed by the factory men, or maybe they were simply older than the other tunnels. 16 wondered if they did connect to those tunnels though, as the hatch she'd entered from had been right in the middle of a straight away that went far beyond view in both directions.
Unlike her previous journey in the tunnels, this one proved rather short. After only a few hundred meters a steel door loomed out from the darkness
It wasn't quite as Jaeger had described it though, having claimed it to be an old door that had previously been welded shut. The workers having only found the tunnel after curiosity about it had gotten the better of them and they'd broken it open.
No, the door before her appeared newly placed. No rust ate at its hinges, no signs of welding around any of the edges, and strangest of all, there was an electronic lock affixed to it.
Still, it wasn't any major obstacle. 16 merely placed her hand on the lock, connected to the system, overpowered what passed for cybersecurity these days, and stepped back as the door swung lightly open on its hinges.
"Eh?" she let out as she was greeted by yet another door. This one matched Jaeger's description much more closely, save for a small green LED blinking on its handle.
16 gave this one a tentative push, and found it swung easily, much like the previous one. She also noted something else about it. On the far side of the door, a strip of steel had been welded to the outside edge, slightly raised off the surface and extending out from the door about an inch along its side. This side also had a green LED in its handle, identical to the other.
When she shut the door, she grasped what the metal strip was for. When shut the strip perfectly aligned with the doorframe, giving the appearance of the door having been welded shut once more.
A moment after closing, the green LED shut off. Curious, 16 gave the handle a firm tug, and found it unyielding. She then scanned the door for electronics, and found a series of electromagnets set inside the door frame, and another electronic lock like the other set within the door's handle.
"Interesting," she muttered, turning away from the door.
She was at the bottom of a short ramp, and above her was a small grate that peered up into the darkness above her. Not much could be seen nor heard through the grate, and she didn't want to risk flashing her PEQ up through it just in case someone with NODs was watching.
Or, one of them…
Instead she crept along the passage, up the ramp and around a corner into yet another dark tunnel.
This one was quite different from the others, it was lined with different kinds of lights, and there were two different staircases prodding down into it from shone down from both, casting odd shadows into the murky tunnel. Cautiously, 16 crept up the nearest of the two, and poked her head up just high enough to see to room above.
There were a couple forklifts in the room, along with some lockers and benches, and a gate on the far wall with a small flashing red light above it. What really concerned her though were the four men in the center of the room, playing some card game atop a weapon box.
They were fit, tall, and well armed, and they each wore body armor adorned with the word 'USEC'.
NOTES:
Weeeelp here we go! sorry for the delay, I have a life (for better and for worse)
Anyway, this chapter is mainly setup for future plot points, but I do hope you guys enjoyed regardless. Hopefully next chapter will be a bit more exciting/interesting. :)
till next time