The complex turned out to be vast, with multiple structures, including one large building designated for the storage of live biomaterials. Most of the warehouses, however, seemed to store equipment and chemicals belonging to the corporation — or at least, that’s what the mission description and the publicly available data gathered through the Ravens’ “flying” suggested.
[We’ll start the recon with the main building,] Maxim instructed through the conference. [If things look good there, we’ll try to access the security system and its cameras. That’ll make checking the place out a lot faster — there’s way too much ground to cover manually. If we can pull it off, we’ll share the camera feeds with Rzeszów. Let their AI have some fun too.]
As the team approached the main warehouse, they were met with a deeply unsettling sight. While the drones had already transmitted a feed, seeing it in person was something else entirely. The massive cargo doors of the building stood wide open, gaping into a pitch-black void. No vehicles, no forklifts, no trace of activity — just an eerie, oppressive silence.
Near the entrance, patches of asphalt were scorched and melted, blackened stains marring the ground. Jagged claw marks gouged deep into the reinforced concrete walls. A shiver ran down Maksim’s spine as he tried to push away thoughts of what kind of claws could have left such scars.
[Hmm. Doesn’t look like an evacuation,] Nikola commented. [There are no vehicles near the loading docks, no scattered debris, and no signs of any hasty activity. Looks like they just sealed everything off as soon as the invasion began. So why are the doors open? Shouldn’t they be locked?]
[Maybe someone’s been here since then,] Maksim suggested. [There’s always someone willing to defy Rzeszów’s orders for a bit of looting. Either way, we’ll find out soon enough. Alisa, send in the recon birdies first. If there are armed intruders, we fall back immediately. If possible, we’ll attempt to establish contact through the drones.]
The scout machines darted in, spreading out across the shadowy warehouse to assess the surroundings.
[Seems like the Shaiszu didn’t just visit — they actually got inside. Ladies, look here! Those marks on the ground? They’re from a portal sphere detonation. And check out these scratches near the control panel by the doors. I’d wager it’s the same cause!] Maksim’s message appeared alongside an animated image of a worried face.
[Max… are you seriously suggesting the Shaiszu jumped in, casually hacked their way into a locked building, and opened the doors? You see, there’s no sign of explosions, no shredded metal! Your theory feels a bit… out there,] Nikola replied, her words accompanied by a sarcastic smirk emoji. [Then again, with an apocalypse and monster swarms, what’s a little more fantasy? Let’s investigate. Alisa, can you have one of your drones sweep closer to the ground? I want a better look at those marks.]
[You might be falling for media stereotypes,] Dasha interjected with an air of exaggerated seriousness. [They always push the idea that monsters are mindless brutes. I saw that stream by Vasiliy Horobets where the Shaiszu were using human weapons. Why wouldn’t they be able to hack an electronic lock?]
[Nikola, let’s keep it simple,] Alisa stepped in, steering the conversation back to the mission. [Here, take the universal control program and check it out yourself.]
[Perfect! Send it over.]
Taking control of one of the machines, Redhead immediately brought it low to skim just above the ground, meticulously examining the tracks on the floor and traces on the walls.
[Looks like there were four, maybe five monsters in total here,] she commented thoughtfully after a moment of scanning. [All large, very heavy, and likely the same type. No smaller critters, like those crab-like ones we’ve seen in most vids, that usually jump out to clear the area. This wasn’t a swarm — it was a targeted strike.]
[Damn, Nikola, don’t tell me Watson Military trains its mech-armor pilots as recon experts too?] Maksim quipped, raising an eyebrow. For a moment, he couldn’t help but wonder what else he didn’t know about his girlfriend.
[Not all of them, no,] she replied, her message accompanied by an animated fox emoji with a sly grin. [But me? Let’s just say I’m special. I’ll tell you all about it later. You owe me a couple of good dark ales, and I’ll make it a story worth your while. Dasha, Alisa, you’re welcome to join. It’s not all about fighting — we’ve got that day off planned, right? Oh, by the way, the Shaiszu group went through that door over there into the next section. But the drones can’t get through — it’s sealed tight.]
She gestured toward a sturdy metal door, its surface unyielding and firmly shut.
[I doubt the Shaiszu closed the door out of politeness,] Maksim remarked. [It’s more likely the fire suppression system locked it automatically.]
[Or maybe they did close it,] Dasha countered. [I’ve told you before — they’re perfectly capable of handling human tech! So yeah, they could’ve closed it.]
[Well, that’s possible,] Nikola admitted with a shrug, [but the fire-alarm theory seems more plausible. Unless we’re dealing with unusually polite monsters. If it’s a security system lock, it’s probably an electronic corporate-standard one. That means it’ll need an access keycard to unlock and open it. That’s standard for most corporations.]
[That’s bad news,] Maksim noted. [If that’s the case, Big One won’t be able to break it open, and we’ll have to go in ourselves. And I really don’t like that. I’d much rather let the tech do the scouting for us.]
[Uh… I… I don’t sense any danger,] Dasha reassured him, her message accompanied by a nervous smile emoji. [At least not right now. We can move slowly… and back off if anything changes.]
[I’ll cover us with drones,] Alisa added calmly, siding with the ‘sniper-programmer’. [We just need to be cautious.]
[WonderKid, there’s a control panel by the door. Can you access it?]
[Yeah, I think so. Probably…] Dasha even nodded in real-life. [I’ll give it a try.]
The team moved forward without hesitation to tackle the tense situation. The lock, as expected, was active, but it didn’t take Dasha long to crack it. She recalled a thread from a hacker forum about this specific series of security systems. Instead of brute-forcing, she skillfully bypassed the module’s safeguards, exploiting a vulnerability she’d remembered.
As the lock disengaged and the door swung open invitingly, Nikola stepped inside first, her heavy assault rifle at the ready. Beside her padded the quadrupedal robot affectionately nicknamed “Big One,” an improvised creation hastily cobbled together by the Chernykh siblings. Originally built as a temporary solution, the bot somehow managed to stick around, outlasting many of its sleeker, more advanced successors. By now, it was practically part of the family.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Inside, they were confronted with puddles of water on the floor and a sharp, acrid stench that lingered despite the fire suppression system’s activation.
The vast storage room was unnervingly still, as if the building itself was holding its breath, bracing for something even worse. The dim light from a few remaining fixtures barely pierced through the towering rows of shelves lined with hundreds of metal crates, many of which were twisted out of shape or riddled with holes.
At the center of the room lay the massive corpse of a Shaiszu creature, surrounded by the unmistakable signs of a ferocious battle that had unfolded mere hours ago.
[Hold position!] Maksim ordered. [Nikola, since you seem to know about this stuff, take a closer look before we trample all over the evidence.]
Nodding silently, she took control of the recon drone once more, skimming it just above the floor as she carefully examined the room and its grim aftermath.
The area was littered with scattered debris and marked with numerous stains. For some reason, the fire suppression system had shut down at the very start of the fighting, leaving the scene more exposed for closer inspection. Among the blood, there were strange patches of bioluminescent liquid, faintly glowing in the dim light.
Deep claw marks and bullet impacts scarred the concrete floor and shelves. In some places, the slabs of concrete were melted entirely, as if doused with acid or molten metal. In a few spots, it was evident the defenders had resorted to using grenades, judging by the shattered shelves and scorched walls. It seemed the explosions had triggered the fire alarm.
[Guys, this is insane! These Shaiszu weren’t just cutting and biting — they were firing bone bolts like crossbows. Don’t ask how this is even possible. And look what they did to the Armadillo. The poor thing looks like it went through an industrial shredder.] Nikola turned the drone around, revealing a mangled heap of twisted metal.
The heavily armored drone from Armadillo Military Corp wasn’t just ripped open like a tin can; it had punctures clean through its composite plating. Bullets couldn’t penetrate its armor, but the bone blades — a bizarre mix between claws and throwing knives — shredded it with ease.
[The humans didn’t stand a chance either,] Maksim said grimly, pointing to a large bloodstain near a charred fragment of a helmet. Next to it lay a warped rifle, its barrel completely melted.
[And it wasn’t just claws. Plasma weapons too. These creatures can handle them just fine. We saw it in the Protectorate footage and during the Wall attack broadcast. But only the big ones were using plasma there. Never thought medium-sized ones could pull this off.]
[I’ve seen all I can for now, but the water’s making it hard to find anything else,] Nikola said. [Let’s go check out that… uh… sabertooth chthonic monstrous pussy. You’ve gotta see it.]
[Chthonic… what?] Alisa asked, blinking.
[Did you just say ‘pussy’?] Dasha chimed in, the mix of amusement and disbelief evident in her words.
[Yep. Big cat. Sabertooth. Cool as hell,] Nikola replied with a smirk. [Come on, you’ll see.]
The corpse of the fallen Shaiszu was so colossal that even in death its sheer bulk radiated power and dominance. The shimmering fur, resembling a coat of dense metallic bristles, retained its luster even in the dim light. The ridge along its spine was charred from a powerful explosion — likely the result of a grenade launcher or a mine.
The beast lay on its side, its formidable claws still extended in death. One claw had been completely torn off, leaving behind shredded tissue leaking a viscous, dark blue substance that faintly glowed in the shadows.
Its large, icy blue eyes were fixed in a lifeless yet imposing gleam, still radiating a sense of untamed strength and freedom. Its right flank was riddled with charred wounds — the unmistakable marks of heavy-caliber machine gun fire. Beneath its ribcage gaped a devastating wound, likely the result of a direct hit from a shaped-charge anti-tank missile that had torn straight through it.
Maksim, driven by a sudden, inexplicable impulse, removed his right glove and stepped closer. He placed his bare hand on the monster’s forehead.
“One of them...” he murmured aloud, closing his eyes. Not that anyone could see under the visor of his helmet. “They managed to stop her. But the others kept up the hunt. And they succeeded.”
[What the hell are you doing, Max?! Kurwa, have you completely lost it?!] Nikola’s message popped up in the conference, her words sharp and punctuated with raw disbelief. [Seriously, a sudden crush on a Shaiszu corpse? Or is this just your inner crazy cat person finally breaking loose?]
Embarrassment flared under Maksim’s helmet as he hastily pulled his glove back on and stepped away from the corpse.
[She was still firing plasma right up until the end. Uhm… see that mark? That’s her final breath. Acid and heat seared straight through the concrete. She didn’t give up for a second. And, uh… yeah, I do like cats. Why do you ask?]
[Full physical evaluation required — bloodwork, biochemistry, hormone levels. Possible PTSD. Oh, and find a decent therapist. Noted,] Alisa remarked dryly. [For the record, I like cats too. But only the living ones.]
[Hey, come on, guys, seriously?! I’m fine, alright? Let’s stay on task!] Maksim cut in, his words coming off more defensive than he intended. Deep down, though, the scene had shaken him, and he couldn’t entirely dismiss Alisa’s pointed remarks.
The team scanned the room, surveying the wreckage of a brutal fight. Shelves lay toppled, and boxes were scattered across the floor. Bullet holes riddled the walls and crates, evidence of a desperate last stand against the advancing monsters. Near the doors where the defenders had fallen back, two heavily damaged combat robots stood locked in their final, broken stances. Their armor was riddled with breaches, and oil and coolant from severed cables had mixed with the bloodstains pooling on the floor.
“This was a slaughter,” Maksim murmured, running his fingers over a bullet hole in the nearest shelf. “Nine people, combat bots, drones for support… and yet they lost so much. Their equipment. Three from their team.”
Nikola froze mid-step, her sharp gaze locking onto the guy. Alisa tilted her head slightly, her focus narrowing. Even Dasha, who had been studying the warped remains of a shelf, stopped, her attention fixed on him.
[Hey… Maksim. I never said how many there were or what happened to them. And there’s no way you could’ve pieced that together from the scene. Too much water. What the heck is going on with you?]
[Uh… foresight… but, like… for the past?] he muttered weakly, clearly unconvincing.
Dasha broke the tension by stepping toward a crooked security camera dangling from a support beam, its mount slightly twisted after a heavy impact. [About the people… If they retreated, then… I mean, toward the cameras… uh, yeah,] her words were stumbling as she tried to explain.
[Good point. We got sidetracked from the main purpose,] Maksim replied, gesturing toward where the people likely fled. [Alisa, send a scout drone that way. Let’s see if we can figure out what happened to them — or the Shaiszu. The rest of you need to locate the security console. We need a clearer picture of what went down here before contacting Rzeszów. Keep the Big One and the heavy drones close. Dasha says it’s safe, but I’m not taking any chances.]
Strangely enough, the console they needed was tucked away behind a partition on the wall near the main gate, almost exactly where the team had first entered the warehouse.
[Max, I’m ready,] Vasilevskaya messaged, plugging in her cables. [I’ve got 60% energy left, so if the hack gets tricky, I’ll fire up my skills, yeah. I don’t think it’s anything too complex, though… This isn’t exactly the Inquisitorial Commission’s primary testing server for AI T7-category digital citizenship applicants.]
[WonderKid, dammit,] Maksim started, then caught himself — there wasn’t much point. [Uhm… well, sure. So, did you give ’em hell back then, huh, WonderStar? I know you can pull it off.]
Daria grinned, hiding her delight behind the visor. Maksim’s sudden compliment clearly struck a chord.
[Almost. That time, I cracked the first barrier and dropped anchors, but then four icebreakers came at me — their combined power was dozens of times stronger than our Moira… well, I mean, Moira at that time. So, I bailed. But those rats panicked and spent six months tearing their office apart, convinced there’d been a data leak. Ha-ha! They were seriously looking for a mole. But there wasn’t one — it was all me!]
[Dasha’s unstoppable,] Alisa quipped with a smile emoji. [Aware of those accomplishments, I was not, Max. Learn, the child did. Seek their power, they did. Walked the path of mystery, they have — truths unseen, revealed they were.]
[Hah!] Dasha laughed, immediately catching the reference to her favorite geek-culture character.
“And these are the people I’m stuck with. Big Bang Theory: Apocalypse Edition, seriously...” Maksim thought, rolling his eyes.
[Alright, let’s figure out what really happened here,] he added in the conference. [Then we contact Rzeszów. They’re going to want a full report on this chaos.]