Within the same second, 4 bullets found their target.

Two of the Walkers just...sort of stumbled and fell down, dead.

One did not die. Darn, Tolstoj missed.

One was blasted around like a ragdoll.

...Heavy weapons are truly frightening.

“Keep firing.” I said with a calm voice. *BANG* A shock reverberated through Fea as I shot the survivor.  A few more bangs resounded as the others all focused on taking the remaining one down.

Before the enemy could react, all 5 Walkers were destroyed.

“Let's move boys... charge forward! Shield up front, guns on automatic. Fire at will. “ I ordered as I took off from cover behind some wrecked vehicle. Gun set on automatic as I began moving towards the compound across the road.

I am sure they had qualms with my orders… But these people followed me through hell. They know better than to question orders.

Unsurprisingly. Within seconds, the warehouse had turned into a beehive. The Lights were cut and our sensors could pick up a lot of movement coming from inside that old structure.

Soon, small blinking steel candles began lighting up the warehouse again, spewing lead at us all the while. They were shooting from holes in the walls. From a crack in the barred up windows, hell. Some of them came outside, shooting at us in the open.

Moving rapidly closer to the building mid-run. Guns on automatic and shields in-front. We slaughtered our way onwards. Why are we doing this despite it being suicidal and mad? Simple, to avoid a hostage negotiation.

As controversial as it is. If we give them a chance to talk. A chance to make use of the numerous slaves they most likely have inside as their human shield to bar us from attacking. We would put their lives at a far greater risk than by open attack.

As long as they haven't even had a chance to negotiate. There is no benefit in killing the hostages. No sane being would waste time killing harmless merchandise when in the middle of a life and death situation with an non-negotiating foe.

Soon enough an armor piercing RPG blew up on the road right next to me, flinging tarmac into the air. Had the user had better aim. I would have most likely died. I doubt he had more. But I shot a burst of bullets at his location for good measure as I kept on running. Moments after, I could see another one being fired from a different spot. This time barely hitting, blowing Tolstoj’s walker’s arm clean off.  “DON'T STOP SOLDIER. KEEP FUCKING MOVING!” I yelled into the comms. Making Tolstoj shrug off the concussion and stay in motion.

Seconds later, we were right in front of the door leading into the warehouse, I did not stop but slammed right into it, shield-front. Blasting it right off it's rusty and enfeebled hinges. (Second reason for open charge. To keep them from having the time to dig up their anti-Walker weaponry.)

“Shoot to kill.” I said. Moving down smugglers with my C-3 TY-9, I took special care to focus on anyone armed with any kind of heavy weapon. As soon as the enemies ran out. We kept on moving deeper into the warehouse.

The entire time it took us to attack and kill our way through the structure was below 10 minutes. If anything. This would be a great example of how quick planning and element of surprise can move mountains.

The inside of the structure was disgusting. The place was full of cages. At least a dozen hundred cages. Stacked on top of each other in rows reaching the ceiling.

All containing a clothless, ready-to-ship slave. We were right. It really was a smuggler compound.

Tolstoj and Samuel rushed to help the slaves. Whilst Alicia came to me. Come to think of it she was most likely held in a place like this once too…

I was not sure how to comfort her. So I just patted her head...

“...Something does not add up. Where did those slaves escape from? There are no empty cages.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

...Lily is right. They all escaped at the same time too. With separate cages it would have been quite difficult.

Looking through every nook and granny, I found the explanation. Towards the side of the warehouse, near the entrance there was a trapdoor.

I went to one of the slaves that Tolstoj and samuel had already let out.

“... I want you to answer one question, what is beyond that trapdoor?”

He looked towards me with an expression I knew well from the past. As he croaked out a single word.

“...Hell.”

Tolstoj moved over and told me quietly “I checked the tats on the dead slavers. They work for the Etra family.  A large slaver-group infamous for sex-slave trafficking and their ability to break people into combat slaves.”

...I see… This is just wild conjecture but most likely, beyond that trapdoor is where the true purpose of this place hides…. And that is..

“...Rebuilding humans into tools of war… Sound familiar?”

…

“Alicia and myself are the only ones who know how to fight outside a Walker. You guys help these people. We will deal with what is down there.” I said.

“Like hell we are letting you go down there without help.” Tolstoj rebuked, but I just slowly shook my head.

“...Just do what I say on this one. Alright?” I told him

“...Yes sir.”

After checking that Alicia was up for this. I opened the trap-door for a split second, dropping a grenade in. Guns blazing we descended into “hell” the second after detonation.

The area under the trapdoor was surprisingly clean and clinical. I can only assume its pre-war. Unsurprisingly, there weren't that many inside the hidden facility. Perhaps 30.

And the moment we had come down

They knew the jig was up. Alicia stayed far back. Sniping down corridors. Whilst I drew enemy fire and dealt with what I could. Grenades. Assault fire. Usual stuff.

Hm? Why do I dare use grenades? They are low-shock incendiaries. I looted them from the dead smugglers from the warehouse.

Eventually we cleaned the place. I got shot a few time but nothing serious. Alicia patched me up in a moment.

Clearing up the rest of the structure room by room for survivors gave a good look into the twisted minds of the smugglers running this place. Metal wire whips, soundproof cells with no windows or light… tables with restraints… I can see how a creative mind could turn this place into something truly frightening…

We eventually found survivors in some of the cells. 10 people. 3 had gone mad. (I had to shoot one in fact. He charged at me the very moment I opened his cell door…) 4 Were barely functioning…

… The last 3 had lost themselves. Just lying there... Limb. the look in their eyes is so familiar…

I got tolstoj and some of the slaves who were less afraid of the “Hell” To help me bring these survivors out of the hellhole.

After a quiet talk with Tolstoj It became apparent he thinks we should put the broken down doll-like ones out of their misery.

“You know better than that right?”

...I still wonder.. Would it be more merciful to let them... stop. Just let them free from being.

“You have been there… You can help them.”

...I don’t remember much about those days anymore… the blank me was quickly programmed to a purpose…

"..."

“...Then program them.”

…

I requested Tolstoj to let me be alone with the broken ones.

Alicia seemed worried about me for some reason, but I assured her I would be fine. Heh, she is the one reliving her hell, this place being a slave-den after all. And the one she worries for is me?...

I sit down near the three carefully observing them, they just lay there.

… I began speaking to them in a quiet voice...

“...I know. You are not humans.”

“..You already gave up on being human… You are not one… it is easier to not be one… nothing hurts anymore.”

…

“But are you really satisfied with that?”

It was so...fickle, but I noticed it… it was there… I might not be able say what… but it was there…

“...Yeah… there is still something right?... Something you must do… something deeper… ”

“There is still that, Right? That one thing that matters. Even now. Remember it… I know. returning to human is still too difficult...Then don't. But you still have to accomplish it Don’t you?... that one thing…”

“You don't need to be human to accomplish it. Do you?”

“...You don't have to feel... Do you?”

“...Forget humanity… Forget feeling… Leave those to me… I will do them for you…”

“...But fight back… Fight for that one last thing.”

“...Move your body… Fight for it…”

After I stopped speaking... There was barely a difference, it was still deafeningly quiet... only one thing had changed..

The third one of the three dolls had moved her eyes…. And was staring right into mine…

I smiled to her my usual smile and said.

“..Good job…”

...

“...Welcome to my pack.”