Twelve goblins stood facing each other, their weapons held at side port. AKMs, freshly cleaned and oiled gleamed under the meagre light, Type 56 vests filled with magazines, packs ready with ammunition and provisions to last them a whole three days. Guns, ammo, magazines, food, the list went on. Marcus had to make sure to include and predict as much unfortunate event as he could having proven Murphy’s law all too well. Besides, they aren’t going to be expecting a resupply the whole time leaving them no choice but to carry it all on their backs.
Walking down the line, Columbus inspected each one and with a nod, came back to stand next to Marcus. “Tell me. I’m curious as to why you had to choose the goblins instead of your crew.”
“The underground is their home, we’re just visitors. They can shoot as well as they need to be,” I made sure of that. He thought. “And with the amount of guns we’re taking with us and the place were going, any miss wouldn’t matter that much. A long range firefight up top, I’ll take them last. But here, in the dark cramped spaces of the underground, they’re perfect for the job.” Marcus replied.
With a wave, the twelve person squad donned their bags, then their ponchos. It looked as much as kids playing some army game, or a bunch of boy battalion ran by some African warlord. Shaking his head, Marcus unslung his rifle at a low ready. It was his newly acquired CMMG Mk47 ‘Mutant’, the unholy marriage of the east and the west. It being a unique weapon to be named by the owner, courtesy of Stoner, Marcus named it ‘Just Business’, feeling it fitting as it had been designed by a private company, in the old United States.
As he walked the line, Marcus couldn’t help but notice the looks it was garnering from the squad. The disparity between the look and function of the rifle, with its suppressor, holographic sight, lights and even polymer magazines, held against the stock AKMs the goblins had is an obvious mark of status, and serving its purpose well; distinguishing him from the rest and giving him authority. But with him using the same ammunition as them, similarity.
Going back, Marcus noticed Columbus was armed AKS-74u, normally chambered for the 5.45x39mm, colloquially known as a Krink. It was manufactured as a shortened version of the AKS-74 with the triangular folding stock, it was issued to helicopter pilots and tankers, and during and after the invasion of Afghanistan, was seen as a trophy rifle to be displayed by martial tribal leaders of the Mujahideen at the time. But the curve of the magazine slotted was different, more curved than the 5.45x39mm magazines, it was chambered for the 7.62x39mm, same as theirs. Marcus knew there was no such rifles sold in the market, but suspected he sourced it through the same flea market Marcus got his Mutant.
Both were armed and armored with the best money could reasonably buy, plate carriers with level 4+ plates, able to withstand 30-06 armor piercing rounds multiple times, passive shield generators, active shields like the first time holstered in close reach for quick defense, while the rest of the goblins would have to make do with their ballistic shields.
It wasn’t like they expected a firefight in the underground, but in the case that they do, protection of any sort are worth their weight in gold.
“Done with the pomp and ceremony?” Columbus asked.
Marcus nodded. “Ready to move out.”
“Then lets.”
With another nod, Marcus led the way through the station. His size and his set up causing everyone he met along the way to squeeze to the side, ignoring the looks of the denizens of the station gave them. Columbus had already discussed the plan prior, with him showing a map of the location, which is a train carriage depot, neatly tucked underground. It was quite a long trek away but with them simply supposed to follow the train tracks, a straightforward affair.
Jumping down the platform and into the rails, they walked over to the edge of the light and paused. Marcus lowered his NVG, banishing the darkens through the green filters of his goggles. He then sent Gabs forward to scout the way ahead under his watchful eye.
The goblins moved with confidence, eyes ahead and both sides of the walls. They moved bounding forward, and stopping to listen, look for signs, footprints, disturbed scuffs in the thin growing lichen, scat, fresh, dried, desiccated. They moved like a machine, not well oiled and high speed, but reliable. They rarely missed a beat, and Marcus felt a bit proud. Time training had a good effect in making tactics, techniques, and procedures almost a second nature.
Once in a while, shadowy figures darted from the shadows ahead. Gleaming eyes under the NVG lights peeked through holes in the tunnel walls, but they stayed in their burrows, the few that did, was turned away by a few shots sent their way designed, to scare more than to harm.
As they continued down the tracks, following the map. They came upon the many common cave-ins blocking the track. Burrows dug into the walls with some draft coming in from a few holes.
The goblins took position close to the burrows sniffing at the branching tunnels looking for anything inside. All the while, Columbus took his pack and placed a mining charge. With a dull thump, the small explosive sent up a puff of dust showering everyone with crushed concrete and flooding his pad with data.
“That one.” Columbus pointed at one of the burrows.
With a wave, Marcus ordered the goblins to sweep the burrows ahead. Fleex ordered one of his men to crawl into the hole, followed a minute later by muffled gunfire, a shrill whistle and a couple more were sent. One came back, signaling an all clear.
The rest crawled down the shaft, Marcus came up on an already dead Malif shoved to the tunnel walls, blood pouring out from its head and chest, dead.
On the other side, they formed up and made a head-count. Everyone was present and they continued.
The tracks gradually developed into a slight incline. Soon, they reached the rail depot. The space was massive. Panning with his IR weapon light, Marcus could one see the vaulted ceiling with his night vision. Overhead cranes and gantries, crisscrossed overhead, doubling up as catwalks on which anyone could use to move around or ambush them from above. Trains carriages were parked, occupying all the rail space, waiting for their conductors that would never come.
On the far edge of the depot, Marcus could see an elevated room, glass windows facing out. Likely the control room.
Suddenly, skittering echoed in the wide, empty hall. Claws scratched both metal and concrete as the beasts ran about. On the ground, the train cars blocked their sight. They couldn’t see anything, only tracking whatever beasts lurking through sound. They were surrounded.
Marcus’s hairs raised, the lack of light and vision added to the dread and he could see the goblins sharing the sentiment and were starting to panic. Despite Marcus knowing that they could handle themselves, a niggling, primal human fear bubbled out about whatever lurked in the dark. Marcus looked at the men, and could see the fear of the unknown is starting to creep up, forcing Marcus to make a quick decision. He can’t afford to have them break. Not now.
Now facing against beasts, Marcus pulled up his NVG, opting for a simple light. Marcus pulled out a flare just as he saw a four-legged form dart between the train cars. He then struck the end, igniting it and bathing all of them in a dull, red glow. Marcus threw it towards the distance and watched as the figures retreated.
“Everyone tighten up. Anyone who breaks formation will get run down and ripped apart.” Marcus ordered. “Columbus. You know how to open those train doors so we could climb in?”
“No idea.” Columbus replied.
Marcus cursed. It would have been a lot of help if they could get inside the train cars. Getting in one would give them elevation, and also a measure of protection against attacks coming from the sides.
“Alright. Follow me.” Marcus ordered. Everyone stacked up behind them. Rifles were pointed in all directions as they slowly moved between the train cars, forwards against the sounds of every present skittering from all around them. If Marcus had been alone, he would have easily thought of his chance of survival and retreated. But being the leader of a squad and the objective in ahead of them, Marcus couldn’t even afford to show any sign of fear in case his men were looking. Them seeing Marcus afraid would only scare them more, which is the last thing needed in the moment.
As they slowly moved forward, a Malif ran between the trains and pounced at the goblin taking the rear. He was knocked off his feet and landed face first on the ground. He looked up, just as a pair of Malifs came around and bit at its throat. He rolled away, making the beasts grab at his gear instead. Taking purchase, the beasts then attempted to drag him away. He screamed.
The goblins nearest to him reacted quickly. Two other goblins jumped atop him to weigh him down with their bodies and gear while another pair came with their rifles and started shooting at the two Malifs, killing them.
Checking the goblin, he was fine. The hit only knocked him down and would only give him bruises for the next day. Still, it was lucky that he didn’t get dragged away thanks to the others coming to his aid, but they couldn’t continue this way.
Igniting another flare, Marcus threw the light farther. Casting shadows in the distance. With the trains, the flare could only light so much. Still, the light gave a sort of early warning from the shadows cast by the beasts running by.
But it wouldn’t be enough. The Malif’s advantage over them is their mobility, hearing and sight. Pulling a flashbang off his vest, he had to take a risk, not knowing if the light and sound would be able to scare them off or just prompt them all to attack. “Flashbang out!” Marcus yelled, throwing the grenade towards a suspected group. The flashbang exploded in a bright light and a loud sound. The sharp sound of the explosion bounced between the concrete walls of the depot, and ringing the metal bodies of the trains, amplifying it. Throwing another at the other side, Marcus only hoped that it at least deafens the Malifs and scare them off.
Thankfully, none of them charged at the group, and all moved in a crouched position to try to spot the beasts as they came.
None did.
Whether it was the flashbangs working, defensive movements, or a combination of the two, they all arrived at the base of the control room overlooking the depot. Marcus had the squad pause and form a circle. He tested the metal rungs and made sure that it could take the weight before sending people up one at a time and making sure that the metallic groans and creaks aren’t going to be the ones warning of a structural collapse.
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The structure managed to hold all their weight. Now with the advantage of elevation, the goblins were keeping on taking potshots on the beasts as they darted behind every piece of cover. He then pulled out the map Columbus gave and oriented himself. With the lack of light, it was harder to compare their location against the map and so Marcus pulled down the NVG.
Marcus managed to point out individual objects in the depot and compare it on the map. The door in the distance was labeled as Storage Room B on the map, but Columbus claimed that it’s their objective. Knowing not to ask stupid questions, Marcus pointed at a steel door in the distance.
“It looks that way.” Compared to the rest of the metro, the walls in that part of the station looked more worn and less kept. Still, the bulkhead securing that part of the station gleamed free of rust compared to the others Marcus had seen before.
They used the catwalks, it allowed them unchallenged view of the landscape and long lines of fire from beast coming in as they headed towards the door. There was a conveniently placed set of stairs nearby and they descended to an elevated platform. A steel single door stood next to the large rolling bulkhead, labeled B. The door was welded shut, with the terminal next to the door ripped out of its socket.
“We’re clear.” Marcus reported, back facing the wall and keeping an eye at the distance.
Columbus said nothing he simply spliced into the wires with his own terminal. The device lit up with a connection and he managed to unlock the door without any further trouble. With the system compromised, the door unlocked with a magnetic click and a beep. Machines whirred as the heavy bulkhead slid to the side. Everyone stacked up on the door, and Marcus led the way inside.
The door leading to “Storage Room B” opened up to a long and empty hall, still powered and illuminated by a long line of overhead lights. A vehicle, similar to a baggage truck used in the airports was parked to the side. The path cut a straight path ahead, which definitely went against the map given to them.
“Looks like this is the right way.” Columbus said, “I just got a quest update.”
“It’s a promising start. Enemies behind and the unknown in front. Whatever you're looking for, someone went to a lot of effort trying to hide it.” Marcus said, pulling a couple of flashbangs off his pack and slotting them into his vest. “As best as they could hide something this big that is, but didn’t to a good job keeping it buried.” He then turned to the rest of his team and waved for them to scout ahead.
“Trust me, they did their best.” Columbus replied.
The hallway led to a small security station with still working monitors showing camera feeds showing the hallway they had just passed through along with an empty rail tunnel. The arms cabinet only had a single Beretta M9 along with a couple of magazines and some ammo. Marcus would have just preferred to hand it over to either of the two squad leaders, but with only one gun to hand out, Marcus opted to keep it to himself as to not give out any sense of favoritism between the two ‘Sergeants’.
Surprisingly, The lack of stale air was quickly made apparent. Ventilation was still active in this part of the underground. Further, they found side doors leading to rooms containing cleaning materials for the janitors, HVAC rooms still humming along and delivering fresh air underground. Clearing it, the team continued down and came out to the tunnels shown in one of the feeds shown in the security station.
“Fifty-fifty.” Marcus muttered. Without a map, they would have to guess.
“It’s not.” Columbus muttered, pulling out another copy of his map and handing it over to Marcus. “It’s this way.” He said, gesturing towards the tunnel to the right.
Marcus grunted as he looked at the map. “You got anything else I should keep note about?”
“I have a key.” Columbus replied, “It should be able to open the doors we need, but we’ll know if that’s true when we get to the facility. It also should be abandoned.”
“You’ve been busy.” Marcus muttered. The goblins took point, jumping down the platform and moving ahead to scout just as they did on their approach. Soon, the rail tunnel started sloping down as they descended deeper underground. It wasn’t that noticeable as they walked, and Marcus had to confirm by putting a few drops of water on the rails. He watched it flow down towards where they were heading.
Compared to the other parts of the metro tunnels, it was smaller, with only a single rail line occupying the bored tunnel. This part of the tracks was composed of heavier gauge tracks specified for heavier freight and the lack of side rooms for maintenance. There were no visible ventilation shafts drilled into the tunnel, yet after wetting his finger and holding it up, Marcus could still feel a draft.
An hour of walking, and they reached the end of the tunnel. Blocked by a bulkhead. After an hour of seeing nothing but rails, pillars and concrete panels, his weapon light casting upon the unmarred heavy chrome door was more than a welcome sight to behold.
Unlike the first one they passed, this was lit with a still working overhead light with a sign saying keep out. The panel next to it was also powered, and Columbus went on to his job of cracking it while Marcus ordered everyone to cover their sectors.
“I thought you said you had a key?” Marcus asked Columbus, who had just peeled off a panel off the terminal and started jacking into open ports and exposed wire junctions.
“I did.” Columbus answered, not elaborating any further.
With a beep, the terminal was bypassed and the bulkhead unlocked. It opened slowly under the loud sounds of motors whirring, and Marcus took a peek inside just as a crack opened.
On the other side is another single platform station, the end of the line with commuter train lay unpowered on the track. Marcus led the way, rifle raised and his aim centered on pieces of cover. The rest of the goblin force followed behind, rifle raised and fanned out.
It was empty, and dark. There were no dried crusting bodies on the floor, only trash and random objects strewn about, giving the feeling of them setting their foot into a hastily abandoned station.
So far, Columbus’ intel seems to be checking out. Marcus thought to himself.
Hopping onto the platform. A long hallway led further into the facility. With nowhere else to go, they followed the hallway. The clicking of boots and ever rustling of cloth sounded loud against the dead silence of the facility. Even Marcus could hear his own heartbeat overlapping with air dispersed through the vents. “Seems like there’s no one home.” Marcus muttered. “You think they evacuated?”
“They should.” Columbus replied as they continued forward. Soon, they arrived at a security area. Rows of ID scanners bisected the space with a bag scanner. They don’t have any IDs but with the barriers being only waist height and turned off, it was no problem climbing over them. They were at a T junction in the hall, with unmarked doors spread all around. From the numbers of electronic locks set on every door, somehow with power.
But still no lights.
“The laboratory has seven levels, and we are currently at level 3. Our objective is two levels below, at the data processing. There, we should have access to all data this facility has gathered up to now.” Columbus said, pulling out a security card and scanning it on a nondescript door. With a beep, the door slid silently to the side, revealing a long, dark and sterile hall flanked by doors.
“Shields front.” Marcus ordered, preparing for a fight to break out anytime while hoping to find no enemies in this seemingly abandoned station.
Fleex sent his shield bearer forward, the unfortunate followed, moving in a crouch while the rest of his squad mates followed behind. Marcus watched and let the goblins go ahead until they reached the end of the hall before following. There, at the end of the hall, was another security door, which was electronically locked and required another security key swipe.
Above the door was a security camera. Its red blinking lights indicated that it was still running. Checking the map Columbus gave him, Marcus found the central security station to be on the same level as the data processing and the armory. Marcus cursed under his breath, it would have been nice to find access to the facility’s security feeds and see if they could find enemies ahead, but as Columbus opened the door into what looked to be the facility's cafeteria, they would have to wait and see.
Entering the room, Marcus saw rows and rows of benches. It looked to be big enough to accommodate hundreds of employees at the same time, which doesn’t bode well for their small squad sized element. This place could have housed thousands of employees at any time, which would turn out to be a big problem if they happened to have turned into zombies.
Marcus looked at the surroundings as it somehow reminded him of the start of the movie Resident Evil, just as all things went to shit. “You gotta have done your research about this place, right? What can you tell me?” Marcus asked.
“It’s a secret laboratory run by Modapharma. One of the corporations that grouped into a coalition that ignited the Corporate war, if you bothered to read the lore. We're here to find out what this place is for.”
“Should have started with that, I would have taken more people.” Marcus said. “A mission to infiltrate an abandoned underground lab made by a pharmaceutical company and get access to a computer inside. I’m getting some kind of déjà vu here.”
Movement. Marcus aimed his rifle at the object to find it was a robot. Like a Roomba but more advanced with little arms, it patrolled the interior of the cafeteria and diligently did its duty and made every surface it could reach spotless.
Marcus lowered his rifle. It explains why this place was clean. He thought. “Where to?”
“The elevator is this way.” Columbus said, pointing to a hall.
“I’d rather take the stairs.” Marcus replied, “that way we don’t have to be trapped in a suspended metal box.”
“Fair enough.” Columbus replied after a moment, “We’ll go use the stairs.”
Consulting an evacuation map scattered along the cafeteria walls, the stairs were situated next to the elevator. As the team moved, Marcus noticed the goblins started to feel lax. They were getting more interested in what they could carry out of the facility instead of looking out for threats. Marcus whistled, giving the two Sergeants a glare, who then whipped the rest up to keep their head in the mission.
Arriving at the stairs, it descended further deep into the earth. Hawking a glob, Marcus spat down and counted how long it took to hit the bottom. It took it a long while and was about to send the first section in when he heard elevator just outside ding, doors opening. Marcus ran out of the stairway and into the hall, now lit up. His rifle raised just in time to see an unkempt old man with his hands held up. Abandoned my ass. Marcus thought to himself.
“Please don’t shoot.” The man said. Marcus said nothing, instead pulled the old man into the hall and cleared the elevator. Turning around, the rest have caught up and held the old man in gunpoint.
“Please don’t shoot!” The man repeated, pleading. Through his weapon sights, he could see the man’s terrified face looking back at him. White hair and bushy beard, he wore a thick pair of glasses over electric blue eyes.
Seeing as it was just an old man, Marcus lowered his rifle and looked at him closer. The old man wore a lab coat and was visibly shaking at the presence of heavily armed men and goblins. Columbus stood next to Marcus, pointing his AK at the man.
“Who are you?” Marcus asked the old man, shoving him to the wall and started patting him down the same way he saw in the movies, legs and arms spread, and pushed up against a wall. Running his hands through the man’s pockets, Marcus came up with a pen, a pad, and an ID with the man’s face, which had a level 4 clearance. Marcus passed everything to Columbus, who diligently checked.
“My name is Doctor Robert Isaac. I am a researcher here.”
“Where are the others?” Marcus asked, turning him around and checking his front, his sleeves, and even his junk. He’s clean. Pressing a hand on his chest, Marcus backed off and warded him to stay on his side of the wall.
Still looking at Marcus’ rifle, the doctor swallowed. “They left. I wasn’t able to evacuate with the rest.”
“You spent all your time here? Didn’t even try to get out on your own?” Marcus asked.
“I… I had to keep it in check. The thing they made here.”
Columbus and Marcus glanced at each other. “What thing?”
“I… it's hard to explain. I… It’s better if I just show you.”