Chapter 7: Brokerage in the Market
-The place lived up to its name. Market station was a giant shopping center, where the goods are often in display from the various stations across the metro. Not even the Exhibition could compare to its trade routes. Despite the inviting presence, Bourbon owed a debt to the people here. He seemed anxious, wanting us all to leave as soon as possible.- Demitri.
The group soon came upon the guards of the station. Bourbon remained pale skinned as he didn't want to remain long.
"So you've holstered your weapons. Good to see you're all well mannered in doing so. Come into the light so we can see you." A male's voice called out.
They stepped into the spotlight to let themselves be known. The guard held a surprised expression on his face upon seeing a familiar figure.
"I'll be damned, it's Bourbon. Search him and his friends for anything. The miss looks inviting." The guard spoke.
Before another person could get close Demitri growled loudly enough to warn him.
"Don't even think of touching her or my friends… I can guarantee you'll be with the mutants rotting if you do more than just 'search'." Demitri warned.
The guards soon pointed their guns at Demitri, whom remained defiant.
"You got spunk, kid. I'll give you that. What made you think that we would touch your girl?" One of the guards asked.
"Ask him to keep a straight face while looking at my girl then." Demitri retorted.
The guard in question tried to whack Demitri with the stock of his gun. In a fit of surprising reflexes, Demitri deflected the blow, took the gun, and disabled it by placing a small pebble in the feeding mechanism spring, preventing it from firing.
"I know a thing or two about guns and I've trained with the military forces as far as I can remember as a kid." Demitri spoke, holding his ground.
"Oh, so you've been with the Spartans." The guard deduced, though he was shocked of Demitri's actions.
"I don't want this dispute to be leading to wastes of life right now since we got business beyond the Market." Demitri concluded.
"What business?" The guard questioned.
"It involves the mutant threat of the Metro and how we can hope to survive it." Demitri revealed.
Artyom and Natasha knew he was speaking with a half-truth. They tried to convince him to stop, only to meet his gaze, showing reassurance. The two close friends remained silent.
"Very well then. We'll conduct our search with our friend, Bourbon. You three stay here till then." The guard ordered.
"Hold on a minute." Demitri spoke.
He soon used a thin rod to dislodge the rock on one of the guard's gun.
"Nice Kalash, though keep the magazine feed safe from jams." Demitri spoke.
The guard nodded with surprise. Bourbon looked at Demitri with surprise and disappointment.
"What the hell were you thinking kid?" Bourbon asked.
"I won't let them have their way with Natasha. I saw their looks at her." Demitri revealed.
Natasha held her grip on to Demitri's left arm, finding the unwelcome presence stressful.
"Leave the sweet talking to me, kids. Hopefully we can leave the station so we can reach to Dry. I'll see if I can wager a deal for us to head out to the surface. We got five minutes so make them count." Bourbon announced.
Artyom, Demitri, and Natasha nodded. They soon began to explore the market around them.
"We may have to go to the surface if we plan to reach the Dry station. You guys can purchase some filters to help with how long to last out there. Be warned though. The surface is more dangerous than the tunnels down here." Bourbon explained.
The three friends nodded in response. They soon found a vendor selling gas mask filters. They made several purchases with the military grade bullets they've acquired during their journey.
"We'll be needing those filters if we have any hope for survival out there. The surface is no place for us to go out." Demitri spoke, hinting his anxiety.
"Calm down, Demitri. I know this is a journey that we never would expect to do. We have to trust Hunter and fulfill his task to reach Polis. This is your chance in becoming a fellow Spartan." Natasha said.
"Either way, we have a lot of obstacles to overcome. This is just one of many." Demitri noted.
Soon, he began to record his thoughts. Artyom followed suit, writing on his notebook.
-The name of the Market station is no simple coincidence. Still, Bourbon was willing to leave this place as quickly as possible. I may not know what business he conducted with the inhabitants, but I suspect he may owe a debt to be paid. Almost everyone within the Metro knows of Hanza and the stations they occupy. The Market is no exception, considering it's a popular trading area. A place where the wealthy thrive is where the Hanza would be. Sadly, in Bourbon's words 'Better to be in debt with the Devil than with Hanza.' Guess even he didn't have a positive outlook with them.-
Demitri soon took notice of the various filters. This made him record his thoughts once more.
-Everywhere in this market place, the vendors are selling filters. I know this station has an exit point leading to the surface, but the stalkers won't stop speaking about these filters. I understand it's a saving grace, but I recall hearing these filters used to last for much longer than the ones we make. Gotta admit, these daring adventurers just know how to navigate across the surface. Admiringly, facing certain death while bringing artifacts from the old world we once lived in… It's a life story that I may experience one day. I just hope it won't be my last steps. While sure one can fight off the mutants, the air quality is a danger itself. Can't stay out there too long…-
Soon the group overheard two men talking. They decided to listen in the conversation.
"I'm telling you, that tunnel is crazy! Many people have scouted it and some were driven insane." Market male soldier #1 spoke.
"What is with the tunnel and what is its name?" Market male soldier #2 asked.
"Polezhayevskaya. Something about the tunnel feels very wrong." Market male soldier #1 responded.
"What's wrong with the tunnel?" Market male soldier #2 asked.
"A squad of scouts went off in those tunnels. They never reported back nor were they seen again. The squad were seasoned men so the station commander figured they were trapped in a cave-in or flooded section. When another patrol went in to investigate, the tunnels were all clear. There was no signs of a firefight, no body parts, not even a drop of shedded blood. The scouts disappeared leaving no traces." Market male soldier #1 explained.
This got the trio startled, hearing one of the haunting tales of abandoned stations that were once visited. Hearing a case of people disappearing in a tunnel made them nervous to venture out, but their resolve remained. They continued overhearing the two men speaking.
"The commander thinks they left and wrote it off as an act of desertion. "Chicken shit, to hell with them", well that's what he said in disdain." Market male soldier #1 spoke.
"What happened after?" Market male soldier #2 questioned.
"A week later, another patrol goes into the same area. Again, not a sound, nor corpses found. The citizens were frightened, having lost two squads in less than a month." Market male soldier #1 revealed.
"That is disturbing… What the hell is with that station or tunnel?" Market male soldier #2 questioned with a hint of fright.
"A fortified perimeter was set up about three hundred meters away. Sandbags, spotlights, machine guns, flamethrower turrets… They waited, but for what? No one knew." Market male soldier #1 continued.
"That is frightful… I wouldn't go near that place if you're giving these details. Just to be on the safe the safe side." Market male soldier #2 noted.
"There's something out there, and it's very unnerving. I wouldn't want to go near that place…" Market male soldier #1 replied with a chill.
Having overheard the conversation, Dimitri walked up to the two men, whom were briefly startled of his presence.
"Easy there, I overheard your details of a tunnel that sounds haunted." Dimitri reassured.
"Oh, so you heard the whole thing…" Market male soldier #1 replied.
"Yes. Three friends of mine were on our way to this station when we wandered in the 'Lost Catacombs'. That place… I don't know what to describe, but something about them made it feel haunting." Demitri recounted.
This got the attention of the men. They knew what he was talking about.
"We ended up in a room with corpses that were strangely untouched or not even scavenged for supplies. The real threat was some kind of supernatural door that was threatening to take us away, perhaps killing us." Demitri spoke.
This got the two men surprised.
"What the hell, kid? You said you saw a large door that threatened to kill you and your friends? That sounds like the Great Door… You're lucky you and your friends made it out. That's a place we don't even dare to go to." Market male soldier #2 said.
"You know about it?" Demitri asked.
"Very much so… That door will kill any whom cross it, never to come back alive. People were often driven into madness by the door's influence. It's moments before they end up suffocating and dying. Not even the mutants go near it." Market male soldier #2 noted with a shiver.
"Thanks for the info. At least we know not to go near it, especially since there's a telltale sign of its presence. Also, thanks for the info on that tunnel." Demitri spoke.
"Wait, you and your friends are venturing through the Metro? You should all be careful." Market male soldier #1 warned.
"I know… The tunnels are claustrophobic inducing, but we don't know what's on the surface." Demitri said.
Demitri left the two soldiers and regrouped with Artyom and Natasha. The group followed their way to the Market Station, where Bourbon awaited them.
"Okay everyone. I got several cartridges. You guys should grab some filters before we set out to the surface. Might mean life and death." Bourbon spoke.
"What about making our way out?" Demitri asked.
"I have a plan. I'll go have a word with a certain someone. We'll meet at the local bar, or I can track you three." Bourbon responded.
"Alright then." Demitri said.
"Remember, you guys have five minutes. Make them count." Bourbon reminded.
Bourbon left to meet with the person, leaving the trio to explore the station. They overheard a man using a radio to contact any support. Unfortunately, the radio was emitting static.
'Seems like they're trying to get in contact with their friends and or comrades… I feel bad for them, but it's currently not our concern right now.' Demitri thought.
The trio soon found themselves at the local bar. They overheard the people talking of various topics of their travels. Despite the stories being spoken about, the group felt a bit lost. They came up to a man, whom was a guard.
"You have no business here. This exit is locked down. Move along." The male guard spoke with authority.
"Sorry for interrupting your duty, sir. We're only looking for the market area to make purchases of filters for our gas masks. We're running short on supplies with them." Demitri reasoned.
"If you're looking for the market area, look to your right and follow the pathway. You'll find what you need there." The guard spoke.
"Thanks for the help, sir." Demitri responded.
The group followed the passage. They made it to the market place section. It was a food area for the people, though the trio weren't feeling hungry yet. They made their way to the other section of the market area. Before they could look at the merchandise for firearms, ammo and supplies, they overheard two men speaking. They were merely citizens of the station.
"There's this long tunnel from Suharevskaya to the nearest inhabited place where lone travelers often disappeared in. A caravan with a dozen men can go through, often reporting nothing wrong with the tunnel. The area is quiet and empty, no side branches so it's impossible to get lost in." Market male citizen #1 spoke.
"That tunnel named Polezhayevskaya… I've heard from the boys about the place." Market male citizen #2 realized.
"The same one. The strange thing is, the next day, someone who's heard how nice and safe the station was decides to go there alone. He disappeared like a ghost and was never seen again." Market male citizen #1 explained.
"The stalkers have warned us all about the danger of looking at the Kremlin Star. Those who did end up becoming mesmerized by the symbol and often walk in the Kremlin, never to be seen again. What's strange is the gates remain open for any whom wander in. It's dangerous to go out there. Even the stalkers wouldn't go in the Great Library." Market male citizen #2 spoke.
"Wouldn't the affected person be saved by a squad as long as the others don't look at the Kremlin Star?" Market male citizen #1 asked.
"It's a good possibility to do so. Going there alone is suicide." Market male citizen #2 warned.
Demitri, Artyom, and Natasha overheard the details. Having heard the warning from the two men conversations, they kept that detail in their minds. The trio soon found the vendors they were looking for. They purchased various amounts of filters for them to use. Some ammo was also purchased for their respective weapons.
"Good, we're all stocked up. Good thing we found some med supplies earlier outside the station. We should be good to handle the next journey." Demitri reassured.
"I hope so. The details from the men we encountered… The areas they mention worry me." Natasha admitted.
"We just to stay away from those places. But we don't know much of the Metro tunnels since everything's changed. Let's be careful." Demitri said.
Soon, the trio met up with Bourbon.
"Bourbon, have you finished your business with the person?" Demitri asked.
"Well, I made an arrangement with a guy here. A greedy son of a bitch, but there's nothing we can do about that." Bourbon spoke.
"Then we should follow your lead." Demitri reluctantly agreed.
"Good. Let's go then. I think you guys know the way." Bourbon said.
Bourbon soon provided three filters, one for each of the trio.
"Take my spare filters. We'll need them to make our way across the surface." Bourbon said.
The trio followed Bourbon to an air lock door. There, a man noticed Bourbon.
"Bourbon?" The man asked.
"Cough up so you can leave." The man spoke.
"I've already paid Mike, didn't he informed you?" Bourbon questioned.
"You didn't pay me. But, if you don't want to go through…" The man spoke.
Demitri didn't like the man, not even for a moment. Artyom and Natasha shared the same resentment.
"Shit… Pleasure doing business with you." Bourbon grunted with disdain.
The guard at the airlock got into positions, ready for the doors to open.
"Alright, I'm kidding." The man spoke.
The man began making his announcement before opening the airlock doors.
"At positions, everyone! The gate will be opening!" The man spoke.
"Damn, I hate this…" One of the guards commented.
"Are you sure, commander?" Another male guard asked.
"We're allowed to grant them passage outside." The greedy man spoke.
The airlock doors have opened. A breeze of frigid air came in to the station, briefly causing Demitri, Natasha and Artyom to shiver. Their steps felt heavy, now realizing they are about to step out of the Metro for the first time in years.
"Looks quiet and clear… Go!" The greedy man spoke.
The group left, ushered by Bourbon to leave immediately.
"Hurry, we need to leave the station!" Bourbon grunted.
The trio wasted no time and left the station. The frigid air kept blowing at their faces. However, the quality was low, almost making them suffocate.