Chapter 33
They'd explored one of the branching tunnels and had made some interesting, but terrifying, discoveries.
The first had been a de facto living quarters. While Brink had initially been curious as to what human could have possibly lived in the spartan accommodations, the answer became clear as they'd searched the room.
Then they'd come across the synthetic. Or at least the remains of one. From what they could tell, it had been a Walter model at some point. Whatever the synthetic had been doing in this place had been violently cut short. Artificial limbs had been torn from the torso, and the unit's skull had been smashed in. Brink wasn't sure what could have caused it, but it reminded him of what he'd seen a captive bolt gun do to a cow's head, just much larger.
The startling discovery of the eviscerated synth had broken everyone's concentration from the various drawings, shelves of instruments and other alien tools and technology that was likely native to those who'd inhabited the city, and, strangest of all, of collection of what appeared to be hand-crafted flutes. Fletcher had picked up one of the flutes and blown into it, startling the other Marines in the room. Lance Corporal Barrie had snatched it out of the machine gunner's hand.
"Asshole." She said. Fletcher just shrugged and grinned.
The grin had disappeared upon Reed calling out the discovery of the synth.
"Anyone remember the important parts in a synth?" Hopkins asked as he took a knee beside the ruined body. Its skin and the surrounding area were coated with the congealed milk-like latex lubricant that acted as the synth's 'blood'. Whatever had gotten to this guy had done a number on him.
"Brain, obviously." Fletcher said. "Probably something in the chest too. Do these things have a black box or something?"
"Couldn't tell you." Hopkins said as he stood. "And since you seem to be the resident expert, you can carry him back, maestro." Fletcher's shoulders slumped at this. He knew he should've left the flutes alone.
Lieutenant Brink and the rest of his group were quiet as they walked down the large corridor back towards the main atrium. They were welcomed back by Knight and first squad.
"Did you find anything, sir?" Knight asked. The synth walked side-by-side with Sergeant Reagan, who'd had her squad post up to swap out socks, drink water, and grab a quick bite to eat.
"Plenty of things that make this whole situation even more interesting. And confusing." Brink said as he pulled some of the drawings and notes from the admin pouch on the front of his vest and handed them over. "What do you make of these?"
Knight took the papers and looked over them, his eyes flicking inhumanly fast. His artificial mind processed what he saw in the drawings, and then took in the notes.
"An artificial person wrote these." Knight said after finishing the last of the six pages in about as many seconds.
"How can you tell?" Corporal Reed asked. Knight looked at the man.
"Because it's my handwriting." Knight replied. Reed and Brink looked at each other.
"Think it might have been this guy, then?" Hopkins asked. Knight turned to see what Hopkins was pointing at. Fletcher had just finished lowering the ruined synth body they'd discovered to the ground. Knight didn't say anything as he started forward. He stopped and looked down, staring at his own ruined face gazing blankly up at the ceiling.
"You found him like this?" Knight asked as he bent down.
"Yeah." Fletcher said, checking to see if any of the white blood had landed on him. Knight didn't say anything as he began to probe his fingers around the ruined synth's neck. Brink watched this for a few moments before turning to Sergeant Reagan.
"Anything from Staff Sergeant Wilks or Third Squad?" Brink asked. Reagan shook her head.
"No sir. Comms in here are shit. Whatever this place is made out of…" She gestured around them. "It's thick enough to stop our radios."
"Shit." Brink exhaled. While anywhere else would have meant that no news was good news, he had an uneasy feeling in his gut. "Give me two to bring with me, I'm going to go check in with them."
"Sir." She nodded, then turned around. "Robertson, Rosen, on your feet. You're going with the Lieutenant." She got affirmations from both Marines and they quickly got to their feet and began pulling on their packs. "Want me to come with, sir?"
"No." Brink said, watching as Knight continued to probe around the mystery synth's head. "Stay here and help Knight with anything he needs to try and figure out how to get our new friend working again."
"Check." She said with a nod.
"Sergeant Hopkins." Brink said.
"Sir." Hopkins looked towards him.
"Take your squad and head out to the courtyard to establish comms with Captain Bartz. Relay to him what we've discovered so far." Brink ordered.
"Roger that, sir." Hopkins said.
"And drop lights so we know which way to go to follow you out." Brink replied, turning to see that Wilks had thankfully done the same and dropped a light at the entrance of the tunnel he'd taken.
"Yes sir." Hopkins replied before giving the signal for his squad to move out.
"Ready when you are, sir." Robertson said to Brink. He was flanked by Rosen, who glanced around nervously.
"Alright. On me." Brink replied before starting down the tunnel towards where Wilks and Third Squad had gone.