Somewhere In the Mediterranean Sea - Two Days Later
The Owl flew fast and low over the waves below. Sending up a small spray of ocean water behind it. Grim reached out and adjusted a knob on the dash in front of him. Enabling the craft's autopilot. Before he lurched out of the pilot's seat and made his way to the aft crewbay. He moved through the door and turned towards the closest seat along the wall. Reaching up, he pulled free a BR55 service rifle. Which was swiftly placed upon his back. Next, he pulled a small, silver handle and placed it to the right of his kukri knife. Finally, he pulled out a rectangular, gray object with a sharpened point. Before he turned back and made his way back towards the pilot's seat.
"Status?" He prompted Phoebe. While he began to mess with this tac-pad attachment.
Phoebe appeared shortly, her avatar glowing a bright red against the blue of the ocean and sky behind her.
"Closing in on the source of radiation." She answered easily. She watched as Grim disengaged his tac-pad from his left wrist and relocated it to his right. A loud click and hiss announcing its reintegration with the suit. He then began to attach the grappleshot in the tac-pad's original position. "Thinking you'll be able to play with your new toy?" She asked, sounding highly amused.
Grim shrugged, far more focused on ensuring a proper anchor point for the device. It wouldn't do for the line to snap or for it to disconnect itself mid-mission. A few seconds later, the grappleshot's icon appeared on his HUD, as his suit integrated it seamlessly with his systems. He gave the line an experimental spin, partially extending it before snapping it back a second later.
Phoebe's gaze turned towards the sea outside the cockpit, as she calculated how close they were to the source of the radiation. "Heads up. We're probably about five mics away." She informed Grim. Who nodded along absently. Double checking his systems and suit.
Phoebe opened her mouth to say something else, but then, some strange distortion in front of them drew her attention. At first she thought it was just a strange atmospheric event. Triggered by the heat and sunlight reflecting off the water's surface. She was relieved of these notions a few seconds later, when the Owl made contact.
The Owl shook violently. Causing Grim to stumble and fall against the bulkhead behind him. His hand snapped out and gripped the edge of the pilot's console, before levering himself into the seat. He took the control sticks and pulled back. Forcing the aircraft up and allowing for additional altitude to gain control of themselves. He then rocked the Owl to the right before jerking it back to the left. Effectively resetting their flight.
"Status?" He repeated.
"We're good! No structural damage detected. But whatever that was knocked out our scanner." Phoebe informed him.
"That's fine." Grim retorted dryly.
"What do you mean that's… oh." Phoebe started to protest, until she turned and looked out the cockpit.
Before them was a towering island, with a large mountain protruding from the Northmost point of the island. Atop the mountain, was a large, white, Greek basilica. Its domed roof sticking out from the mess of green which surrounded it. Below it, two waterfalls on either side of the basilica descended into the jungle below. Creating a rainbow with their waters' mist. From there, the island seemed to spread outwards, with various rises and falls. All of which was covered in the green of trees and other foliage. Surrounding this jungle, was a small strip of bright, white sand. Which gradually faded into the light blue of the ocean around it. Overall, the island looked to be a veritable paradise.
"I'm bringing us in on the closest beach." Grim informed her, the beauty of the island lost on him.
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Unknown Island
Grim's metal clad feet hit the white sand with a quiet thump as he made his way towards the front of the Owl. They had decided that the aircraft would remain on the beach, while Grim and Phoebe went ashore to search for whatever craft made that slipspace rupture. Behind him, the blood tray, or ramp, hissed closed and then locked with a metallic click.
"Strange, I'm getting a lot of interference." Phoebe observed casually from within his suit. She was in charge of locating the craft and leading Grim to its location for retrieval. But it seemed that job was going to be harder than they had predicted.
"Best estimate?" Grim asked, panning his gaze up and down the small beach. Off to his right, the surf was clear and clean. Untouched by the world of man. But to his left was a different story. Scattered along the sand was a mess of rotting or rusting hulls. Some looked to be centuries old, with their patchy sails and crumbled wooden frames. While others were more recent. Including what looked to be some sort of pleasure yacht and a WWII frigate. Which was run ashore, its bow digging into the forest of the jungle. While its stern was collapsed on its side, as its midline had been snapped in half by something.
Grim turned and made his way towards the frigate. His eyes wandering along its hull and looking for any sort of identification. Until he saw the faded white of "U.S.S Valor".
"U.S.S Valor, a Tacoma Class frigate from the last few years of WW2. Records show it was lost with all hands during a recon mission towards Japan's outer marker. But after the war, Japan categorically denied any involvement in its sinking." Phoebe rattled off.
Grim walked a short distance to the bow of the ship, where one of its anchors was dug into the sand. Its chain rusted and swaying slightly in the breeze. He then turned towards the modern yacht beside it.
The yacht wasn't nearly as decayed as the other wrecks. Its white hull still glistened in the sun and its wooded decks seemed recently polished. Overall, it still looked seaworthy, besides the long, jagged hole cut into its side. Grim walked towards the stern of the boat and hauled himself onto its deck using one of the ladders on either side of the stern. The wood creaked loudly as he wandered past the still filled pool and deck chairs lining the desk. He paused to slide open the glass door that marked a transition from the party deck to a fancy common area.
There were two large pool tables and a bank of TVs lining the wall. Underneath the TVs was a long bar. Full and half finished bottles filled the area behind it. As if the party goers had wandered off before they could finish bottle service. There was also a small dance floor and sitting area sandwiched in the middle of everything. But most of the chairs and furniture appeared to have been knocked over or thrown around. But not randomly. Instead, they were placed orderly against the far wall.
Grim made his way through the room and ducked into one of the side hallways on either side of the bar. His armor's bulk just barely squeezing through the tight door frame. He then stalked through the narrow hall, occasionally pausing to examine one or two the rooms as he passed. All of which seemed to be passenger cabins, with large beds and accompanying amenities. Some were cleanly organized, with their cloths stowed away, while others were a complete mess.
He turned a corner and was met with a flight of stairs. Which he climbed, emerging onto the bridge.
"There should be some sort of black box somewhere up here. Check the radio and Captain's station." Phoebe ordered. Before two waypoints appeared on Grim's HUD.
Grim made his way to the closest one and kneeled down to examine the circuitry of the ship. He ripped out a few panels and set them aside. Only to find more wires and connections. None of which seemed to connect to some sort of black box. He then turned and made his way to the Captain's station. Upon a quick glance, he kneeled once more and started to tear through the bank of computers off to the Captain's right. After a few seconds, Grim found a small, black box. Encircled in matching bands of orange stripes. He tore the module from the console and turned to make his way out of the ship.
"I've established a connection with the box. Running playback now." Phoebe said as a small bar appeared on Grim's HUD.
Immediately, he was hit with the sounds of a party. Loud music echoing in the background and people shouting at one another. Through it all, Grim could barely make out the words of the bridge crew.
"Captain! I've lost radio connection with the mainland." A high pitched voice rattled off in Italian.
"Our GPS is also out!" Another female voice called out.
"Try to see if we can connect with the coast guard or one of the Americans!" A gravelly voice ordered.
"I'm trying sir! But all I'm hearing is static!" The high pitched voice answered.
Suddenly, there was a rustling in the background along with a few panicked shouts.
"Captain! One of the passengers was dragged under!" A new voice yelled. Sounding very similar to the high pitched voice.
"What do you mean dragged under?!"
"One of the men jumped into the water while we were moving! He must have taken one of the female passengers with him, as I saw the two of them bobbing in the water! Then they both took a quick dive, but neither of them have surfaced!" The panicked voice explained.
"Ok! Turn us around! Heading three-zero- four…"
"Rogue wave!" A voice screeched, before the recording devolved. Grim listened to the panicked screams and smashing of glass as the ship was rocked. He heard the tell-tale rush of waves and the sliding of furniture as they were hit. Eventually, the screams were drowned out by the tearing and bending of metal as the ship ran aground. It took awhile, but soon the recording turned silent. As the passengers and crew realized they were safe.
"Get…..get everyone organized. Clean up the main area and order our passengers to their quarters." The Captain shakily ordered. With a handful of meek confirmations rattling off around him.
The next bit of the recording consisted mainly of the crew working with and arguing against the passengers, as food began to run out. It seemed they only had enough to last them four days, during which the Captain and his crew worked. Trying to ring up support from outside the island and trying anything to repair the gash in the hull.
Unfortunately for all involved, it seemed a vote was held at the end of the fourth day. The passengers had become antsy and bored on the ship. Especially when an island full of additional food and supplies was right there for the taking. The Captain and his crew were wary of traversing through the jungle of a previously uncharted island. Especially since they didn't know what type of predators or dangers it may hold. But they were vastly outnumbered by the amount of passengers aboard. So when the vote was held as to whether to stay on the boat or journey out for supplies, it was unanimously decided that the group would split up and search the island.
Grim had to give it to the Captain though. Even when it was decided that they would search the island against his wishes, he still made an effort to ensure his charges' safety. Splitting the crew and passengers into manageable groups and passing out walkie talkies to his men. They had also attached a large balloon to the stern of the ship. So they would be able to find their way back. So long as they made it back to the white sand of the beach.
Grim dropped back down to the white the sand near the stern. His greaves created large indents below him and sent up a tiny spray of sand. He then turned back to the stern of the boat, looking for a balloon or evidence of some sort of line. Finding none. It may have floated away, or Grim couldn't see the line from his position. Either way, the balloon was long gone.
From there, the Captain gave a quick speech about staying safe and together in their groups as they explored the island. He also passed out whatever weapons the crew could find in the ship. From the sound of things, it was mostly kitchen utensils and decorative oars. A few firearms were also found, if you could call them that, being the flare guns taken from the lifeboats. Besides an old pistol that the Captain claimed as his own.
After his speech, Grim listened as the group made their way away from the ship. Their voices gradually got quieter and quieter, as the rustling of shoes on sand faded. After that, the recording ended. With a robotic voice rattling off a date that, according to Grim's HUD, was approximately a month ago.
Grim threw the device away and into the sand beside him. Its purpose served.
"What are we going to do if we find survivors?" Phoebe asked. She had calculated the likelihood of the survival for the passengers and, while it wasn't promising, she couldn't completely rule out there not being any.
Grim said nothing. Instead he started into the jungle. Its many shadows and foliage folding in around him as if he were meant to be there.
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Unknown Island - Two Hours Later.
Grim pushed a large branch out of his way. Rustling the leaves around it as it jerked back to its original position as he walked. Early on, he and Phoebe had made out faint scratches on some of the trees leading further into the forest. Most likely made by one of the groups that had passed through. But they began to gradually fade away as they got deeper into the jungle. Whether due to laziness or the group dwindling in number, couldn't be said.
As he moved, they saw all manner of wild animals. Consisting mainly of boars and deers, but there were also snakes and many forms of birds. Mostly bright and colorful in contrast to the green of the jungle around them. Strangely, there was also a population of large lizards on the island. Each of them were about eight feet in length and patrolled the underbrush of the jungle. Only to jump out and bite for whatever prey they had found.
They had discovered this species of lizard when one of them had done exactly that. Rushing out the brush and trying to bite Grim's leg. Only for his shield to shock them and send them scurrying back into the jungle. Since then, the gray reptiles had been mostly avoiding him.
Grim clambered over another downed tree. Landing with a slight splash as rain water had accumulated on its opposite side. He strode forward once more. Returning to the silence of the jungle and his light footsteps. Suddenly, a quiet, serene voice broke through the darkness of the jungle.
"From the abyss, where shadows lie,
Hear my whisper, oh warrior, high.
In your mind, a tempest brews.
But in my depths, find your muse."
Grim paused in his movements. Taking a knee and pulling his pistol free, before he took a quick scan of the area. Looking for whoever was speaking. A second later, the voices multiplied and harmonized. Overlapping one another as they sang. All of them were now clearly female.
"Surrender your soul, to the ocean's sway,
In my arms, let the shadows play.
Beyond the kill, beyond the night
In my grasp, lose the fight."
Phoebe began to triangulate the voices. Using Grim's position and the puddle behind them as references. On Grim's HUD, a red triangle began to move. Honing in on the position of the singing as the first voice returned.
"Your path is marked with blood and tears,
But in my realm, know no more fears.
Assassin born of silent death,
In my song, find your last breath."
Grim watched as the triangle moved from one corner of his HUD to the next. Eventually pulling him to his left and towards a darker section of the jungle. Then the harmony of voices returned once more.
"Surrender your soul, to the ocean's sway,
In my arms, let the shadows play.
Beyond the kill, beyond the night
In my grasp, lose the fight."
The triangle spun as a new window appeared on Grim's HUD. This one contained three numbers, which began to blink as Phoebe worked to determine how far away the singing was. The first voice returned once more, continuing their song.
"In the silence, you walk alone,
A ghost of whispers, heart of stone.
But in my depths, you're not forsaken
In my song, your burden's shaken."
The numbers blinked one more time. Before they settled on the distance of one hundred and fifty meters into the jungle, as the chorus started once more.
"Surrender your soul, to the ocean's sway,
In my arms, let the shadows play.
Beyond the kill, beyond the night
In my grasp, lose the fight."
Grim moved forward. Crouching low and under the branches of the trees surrounding him. Being careful to not disturb the foliage as he moved. His magnum held out in front of him, as the first voice returned one final time.
"So come to me, my assassin dark,
In this abyss, leave your mark.
Together we'll drown in the ocean's song,
In this serenade, where you belong."