A glaring light and cool air greeted them as the door slid open. The guard sent to welcome them wore Orcus riot gear and had a black visor masking his face. He also carried a sleek-looking MP-40. He gestured with it for them to enter.
The door hissed shut once they were inside. “Is it just you two?”
Sergei looked at Chernov.
“Yes, just us.”
“And you weren’t followed.”
“No, sir.”
“And this one is part of the plot to release the Deterrent?”
“Yes,” said Chernov.
“Then why the gun?”
“Self-defence. One man can’t hope to fight a war against those monsters.” Chernov reached over and pulled the rifle away from Sergei’s sweaty palms.
I hope you know what you’re doing, Chernov.
“If that’s the case -” Sergei didn’t hear the rest because he was blind-sided by the back of the MP40, hitting his skull and knocking him into a wall. The last thing he heard before passing out fully was the guard’s single request. “Carry him to an unoccupied cell.”
#
By the time he came around, his head was still throbbing. They had put him in one of the many cells. Dull, grey walls surrounded him and presented a clear view out onto his cell block. He stood up and approached the gap. Upon reaching out, the sudden shock made him jump back while recoiling his arm.
Force fields. Makes sense. I wonder how Chernov plans on getting me out of this.
Not long later, he had his answer as the man returned with a beaming smile.
“Good news, comrade, because the situation is so dire and the city itself is so past the point of return. The guards here have concluded they need every man they can find to help bring her back from the brink.”
“Don’t tell me they seriously think they can stop this?”
“Have you ever tried convincing Germans of anything and do you think they’ll listen to me, a Russian? You know, considering all that’s happened so far.”
“Good point.” Sergei stretched a little as he heard the force field power down. He was glad to be free. He checked his two adjacent cells and was met by the horrific forms of two nearly fully developed Deterrent Mortans.
This mutation works faster than the base variant. Very soon it will become altogether unsalvageable.
“Pretty grim, huh? I’ve seen many a Mortan but non quite like this,” said Chernov grimly.
“They’re all the same beast. Just these are more feral.”
“There’s dozens of them in these cells. I pray we don’t lose power.”
Sergei folded his arms and smiled back at his friend. “Now don’t go giving me ideas. These things could be useful yet.”
“That’s if they don’t tear you to shreds first,”
“Or plant you…” Sergei said as the one in the cell to his right gawked at him. “What are you looking at?”
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The creature, with its hunched back and fused, tattered clothing gave a laugh that sounded more like it was choking. “You don’t recognise me, comrade. Do you?”
“Alexei…”
“You know this one?” said Chernov walking behind Sergei so that he stood on his other side.
“We ran a few jobs together back home. I had no idea he had been recruited for the mission.”
“My job was given to me by some illusive friends,” Alexei said arching his back and crying out as it made a loud crack.
“What did it entail?” Sergei asked.
“Beneath us, the demons of old are kept in cold storage. So many of them. I was caught early. Must have tripped an alarm. They threw me in here. It’s been weeks. Then it happened. The water turned black and I knew. Deliverance had come,” the man said holding back the manic laugh bubbling beneath the surface.
“Was he always this crazy?”
Sergei wanted to say no but Alexei had always been deeply spiritual to a degree and the Symbiote growing within him now amplified his fears. I wonder what he means by demons. The Mortans? This whole place is their playground now. “He’s not crazy, Chernov but we are for agreeing to this mission. Let’s get going, Don’t want to keep your new friends waiting.”
#
The remaining Orcus guard alongside Sergei and Chernov had all gathered in the former Head Warden’s main office. It overlooked the atrium that gave some glance into the madness occupying the cells. The head of the group sat behind the cleared desk. The guards aligned with him stood on his left while Sergei and Chernov occupied the right.
“As you are all no doubt aware, a new strain of Mortalis has consumed the city’s population, courtesy of our new friend Sergei,” the guard said, gesturing offhand to him. “I presume the lockdown was part of that.”
Sergei shrugged. “If I’m being truly honest, I had my instructions. Anything else is far above me.”
“So they probably saw you as disposable.”
“We all are.”
“I also hear those attending the Masquerade were infected but with the chaos, it’s difficult to get any proper answer whether Lazarus himself is still alive.”
One of the four guards with them stepped forward. “The men we sent to investigate have still yet to report back. We should consider the worst.”
The man leaned back in his chair and spun to face the baying crowd, throwing themselves time and time again at their cell’s force fields. He stood up and leaned against the rounded window. “I don’t see any other way around it. We need to get a message back to Earth. Hopefully, they can pause their pissing contest long enough to get some men up here. Hell, it might even be worth wiping this city off the surface of the Moon. Can’t take any chances with the Mortalis. They’ll never stop.”
“We can do that,” said Sergei.
“You and Chernov? No. It can’t just be you two. Especially if you’re working with the enemy that started this. Sergeant Becker and Corporal Meyer here will accompany you. I assume you know the way.”
“If we take the tunnels, we can-” A pounding reached his mind as the person standing at the window transformed along with the room itself into a black pulsating mess of biomass. The strange, tall figure faced him. This grotesque being looked demonic in stature and their entire body was covered in an amorphous, rippling shell. It looked like a human stripped of its skin instead replaced by black, pulsating muscle.
“Sergei -” the slap brought him back to reality.
“What happened?”
“Your eyes glazed over and you began talking in a real low, guttural way. Said something about the Motherland!”
“Shit, it must be my aether cores. One of those things must have found some way to interfere with them,” Sergei said his breathing becoming laborious.
The other guards had their weapons trained on him. He held up his arm. “I promise you, I’m not one of them. I have prototype cores installed that allow me to tap into the Aether. I had no idea a Mortan could get inside my head in that way.”
“On second thoughts, if this one turns. You have my full permission to execute him on the spot,” the lead guard said.
Shit.
“The only person killing my friend here will be me. Not your lackeys. We’ll get the message broadcast. Someone’s bound to be wondering what the hell is going on up here.”
“You can find extra weapons in the armoury. Since you might not be coming back, take as much as you can carry and spare no one. It’s safe to assume the entire city is compromised. And whoever that voice is, they’re making moves. Our enemy might only become more dangerous if it becomes coordinated. Be prepared for anything.”
“Aye sir!” said the guards with a salute.
Sergei and Chernov remained silent. Sergei felt sweat run down his cheek. If it can force me to perceive it, what else can it do? I can only hope that is the extent of its power- “Chernov if I lose my sense of reality because of what just happened. Don’t even hesitate to kill me and do whatever it takes to destroy this hell. Before it dooms the Earth.”
Chernov chuckled. “Don’t think the folks back home need any help there, Sergei. But since you asked, if it comes to it. I promise I’ll make it quick.”