Doom 3™: Worlds on Fire

by Matthew Costello

Did Betruger know what Ishii was planning?

  His hand passed over the screen. And there—in such clear three-dimensional images that he could almost touch them—the sections of the wall, the curling lines, the odd shapes found at Site 3. All meaningless when you were working to expose them, following that trail of bread crumbs. But not meaningless to Ishii or Betruger.

  The symbols soon resolved themselves into an icon-based system. And though Ishii had only scratched the surface of the meaning of most of the symbols, he now knew a few things. Things he told Betruger and no one else.

  In fact, Betruger had ordered Ishii to tell no one. Betruger, leaning over him, that massive head, thin lips, his eyes boring into him,Tell no one, Ishii, No…one.

  Symbols that spoke of a civilization. Those who made the symbols also made this tunnel. Long gone, all vanished. Leaving no fossil record. And the first symbols about an adversary. Yes, something indicating anenemy . As data searches scoured every symbol-based language from cultures dating from tens of thousand of years ago, the image, the idea…of “an enemy.”

  He couldn’t be sure—not at first. But there seemed to have been…a conflict…a battle…a war. So many of the symbols still to be deciphered.

  Then something else that, at first, meant nothing. U1. The artifact. No ID tags from any of the databases popped up pointing to a likely interpretation.

  Ishii twisted the image in every direction, turning it, looking at it. The artifact occupied an important place in the iconography of the walls. Twisting the image, turning it, until Ishii could feel that, yes, he was playing with it. Fascinated with it. This…device…or sculpture….

  Discovered at the entrance to the interior tunnel. So important. Everything else seemingly flowing around it, and its image and shape also found on the walls.

  Ishii turned away, the strange image frozen at an odd angle. He looked away. Still no one watched him.

  These scientists working here, doing the experiments, unaware of what he and Dr. Betruger were seeing, learning. He looked back, half expecting that the still image might move, might leap right off the screen, might grow and fill this room. Ishii kept looking at it. His heart raced even faster, a tear gathered in one eye. Fear, confusion? He didn’t know.

  He thought of his plan. Tomorrow. There would be a chance tomorrow. When everyone was busy with the experiment. When everyone, even Betruger, would be occupied. That’s when it would happen. Ishii quickly shut his screen off. Betruger had stood outside the door to the conference room. He couldn’t hear anything being said within. No matter—he could easily guess what they were talking about, what they were arguing about.

  He knew that Kelliher was growing more concerned. Concerned enough to maybe even shut the experiments down. Betruger imagined that there might be something planned. Not that he would ever allow it to happen. Not now that he knew what wasreally going on here. No, closing Delta down was simply unthinkable. But for now, he would humor them.

  He opened the door.

  Swann stopped in mid-sentence.

  “Dr. Betruger—”

  “Mr. Swann, Mr. Campbell…” Then Swann saw how Betruger barely hid his disgust. “General.”

  “Good to see you, Doctor,” Campbell said.

  Betruger nodded. “So to what do I owe the pleasure? And the interruption, I must say.”

  Campbell and Hayden looked in Swann’s direction.Great, Swann thought,let the bastard get mad at me. “There have been new concerns raised, Dr. Betruger.” Nothing from Betruger, so Swann continued. “Serious concerns about the results of the experiments. Security has become an issue. How long can we keep a lid on what’s happening here? And are there any signs of progress? Mr. Kelliher has been considering—”

  Now Betruger put up a hand. And Swann noticed that, for a scientist, Betruger was sturdily built. His hands were massive.

  “You can hold it right there, Mr. Swann.” He turned to the others. “No one will be closing this project. Has Kelliher forgotten what I have already created for him? And that’s nothing—absolutely nothing—compared to what will come.”

  By now Betruger had both of his massive hands in front of him as if twisting and ripping something apart.Like my neck, Swann thought.

  Campbell shook his head. He knew that the security head thought that all of Delta should have been shuttered months ago. “Dr. Betruger, I didn’t say we were closing the lab. But we have to look at whether a hiatus might not—”

  Betruger let his hands fall to his sides, suddenly pulling back from his midair mayhem. “Oh. Ahiatus . A pause?” That idea wasn’t sitting too well either. “Gentlemen, I know you serve at Mr. Kelliher’s pleasure—” Didn’t sound like he put himself in that same category. “—and I understand Ian’s concerns. I would have the same concerns. So I therefore have a proposal for you to relay directly to Mr. Kelliher.”

  Something about this worried Swann. All of sudden Betruger was acting compliant, almost reasonable. It didn’t make any sense.

  “There is a new experiment scheduled for tomorrow…”

  Swann cleared his throat. “With a volunteer?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t think we can. More animal tests, yes, but—”

  Betruger smiled. “I am suggesting—offering—that you all come to Delta to witness the experiment. I am sure that what you will see will reassure you completely. I’ve scheduled it for noon.”

  “But it’s the human volunteer aspect that has Mr. Kelliher so—”

  “I know, I know—worried about the human subjects. What’s happened so far, yes. As if they have any value compared to the prize.”

  “It could never happen on Earth, Doctor. And the UAC is moving to a ‘one world’ policy—”

  “Earth, hm? Policies? Weare on Mars, Swann. In case you haven’t noticed. But still, if you come to the lab tomorrow, as my special guests, you will see that all of your fears—all of Mr. Kelliher’s fears—are totally misplaced.” He paused. “Do we have a deal?”

  Something about the way he saiddeal …

  “I will have to check with Mr. Kelliher.”

  “And with your support, he will agree. And then you, all of us, will see that we have absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Nothing at all.”

  For a moment nobody said anything. Swann knew that Kelliher would, based on Betruger’s word, permit one more human experiment. After all, the secret teams in Palo Alto were trying to find out exactly what was going wrong with the Martian transporters. He’d want all the information he could get.

  “I’ll contact Mr. Kelliher now.”

  “Very good.”

  Smiles all around.

  “And I will see you gentlemen tomorrow. You will be amazingly surprised, I do believe.”

  With that Betruger moved to the door, almost rushing, impatient as it slid open. Then he was gone.

  Campbell stood up. “How do you spellbonkers?” Nobody laughed. Then he added, “I’m going to check that they got the weapon crates in place…and also check on my baby.”

  Then Campbell sailed out.

  Hayden looked up at Swann. “Baby? What the hell is Campbell talking about?”

  “Security stuff, General. Wish I could tell you…but I can’t.”

  Then Swann walked out, the air having grown too cold, too dry in the bright conference room.

  24

  KANE SAW A WARRANT OFFICER WALK OVER TOKelly and pull him aside.

  And for a moment the newbies and their guides-to-be were on their own. A few of them talked, the guides eyeing the new arrivals with unhidden disgust.Same as it ever was, Kane thought.

  But then he noticed one of the jarheads who seemed to have locked his eyes on Kane. Kane met his gaze. Usually enough to make the other person look away. But not this guy. In a way that felt quite normal, Kane took the measure of the man. Big, maybe as tall as he was, six-foot-two, maybe bigger. A shaved head that made the shape of his cranium look like some kind of strange planet.

  Kane knew thi
s was trouble.

  “Well, look at what the hell they have sent up to us.”

  The man didn’t move. But now, with Kane knowing he was being addressed, he kept his eyes on the other space marine.

  “If it isn’t…Killer Kane.”

  The other marines looked at the man talking. Most seemed confused, not knowing what the guy was talking about. But Kane could guess.

  “Yes, boys and girls, we have the honor of having a genuine marine killer in our midst. How many marines died, Killer Kane, because you couldn’t obey orders?”

  The man spit. An action, in these glistening confines, whose message was clear. It was a challenge.

  “Hey, Kolski, ease up, man.”

  Kolski.Kane’s bald-headed adversary now had a name. With Kelly gone, the kids were free to play.

  Kolski took a step.

  “Isn’t that right, Killer Kane? Men died, and you’re the one that made it happen. Oh, and are you enjoying being a private? You’re lucky—” Another step. “We all hoped they’d kill your ass.”

  By now some of the other marines had fallen in behind Kolski, either intrigued by what was going to happen or just wanting to stay well away.

  Kane slowly straightened up. His eyes went to Kolski’s sidearms, twin handguns. Reminding Kane that he stood there, his pack beside him as if he was a little kid going to camp.

  Kolski took another step. His face only inches away from Kane’s.

  “So tell us, Killer Kane. How many ofus are you going to kill up here?”

  And for the first time, Kane looked away from the dark eyeballs of the man in front of him.

  He knew that Kolski watched him break eye contact. He knew, in fact, that Kolski’s eyes would then also wander, drawn by curiosity to see where Kane looked.

  Which was when Kane grabbed Kolski’s throat. His hand tightened around the man’s neck. He could—with enough pressure—kill him: cut off air, close the carotid artery—a half-dozen ways to make this man taunting him dead.

  The marines behind Kolski stepped back.

  “You should learn not to run off your mouth about things you know nothing about…” Kane looked at the single stripe on his sleeve. “Private Kolski.”

  Kolski’s hand went for his gun.Guess this guy really is crazy, Kane thought.

  Kane’s other hand shot to the man’s wrist before the holster was even unbuckled. He took the wrist and gave it a sharp turn to the left. Amazingly painful, but not so bad that Kolski wouldn’t be able to use the hand again.

  Already Kane was doing damage control on what he was doing here. But this was necessary if he wanted to survive up here. Still, there would be some fallout, and it wouldn’t be good.

  The man’s wrist freed, Kane’s left hand grabbed at the guy’s midsection and now, using his two hands like pincers, he pivoted the now bug-eyed Kolski backward, pointed to the ground where he landed with a thwack that ensured his head would be hurting for the next few days.

  “So, you just better…shut…the hell…up.”

  Kane was about to release Kolski and back off. But he felt two massive hands yank him backward.

  “What the hell you doing, Private?” Kelly had ripped Kane back, and now, with surprising strength, threw Kane against the wall.

  Now it was Kane’s turn to land against hard stone. He saw Kelly look at Kane’s nametag.

  “Kane. Shit…” The sergeant said the name slowly, with understanding. “Moraetes, get over here.”

  Kane watched one of the female marines walk out of the pack and toward the sergeant. Short for a marine, Kane thought. For a moment her dark eyes fell on Kane. Then they rolled away. She didn’t seem exactly thrilled at what was about to happen.

  “Moraetes, this one’s yours. Make sure that this newbie with a short fuse knows this place like the back of his palm. Oh, while you’re at it, maybe you can teach him something about not doing anything impulsive.”

  The others laughed. Some kind of inside joke?

  Moraetes stood by Kane and said nothing.

  “Okay, let’s get the rest of you paired up with your own goddamn babysitters. And then start the grand tour…”

  The marine, Private Maria Moraetes, stood beside Kane, silent as they waited in line for Kane to get his gear from Combat Prep. Finally Kane spoke. “You don’t have much to say.”

  She looked at him. “No, I don’t.”

  More seconds, and then Kane stood before a desk. A standard-issue pistol and holster were slapped down, looking a little frayed at the edges.How low the mighty have fallen.

  Maximum ammo 360 rounds, clip capacity 12—not exactly a high-tech weapon. He turned back to his keeper.

  “This the best firepower they’ve got up here?”

  “There are rocket launchers, plasma guns, shotguns—the usual. But why the hell would we need them up here?”

  The marine behind the desk put down a PDA. That at least looked state-of-the-art. A pile of fatigues, and then a key card.

  “Feels almost like Christmas.”

  “Right,” Moraetes said. “Okay, there’s a video in your PDA—welcome to Mars and all that crap. You can watch that later. Let me show you your bunk. Then the tour, and I can be all done with you.”

  “I can feel your enthusiasm.”

  Kane followed Moraetes out of the hivelike bivouac that provided narrow bunks for a few dozen marines. Not much privacy.

  He hurried to keep up with Moraetes as she walked out of Marine Command, heading back to reception.

  “You got maps in the PDA that will always let you know where you are, and how to get from one place or another. Even”—another glance—“an idiot could do it.”

  “Then I should be just fine.”

  “But if Kelly wants you to get a tour, then that’s what you get. We’re heading back to the Command Access Junction, then I’ll show you the main arteries of Mars City…and the underground.”

  “Right.”

  Other marines, some of them new arrivals, passed them. Seemed to be a lot of marines up here for what was supposed to be a civilian project.

  “There are other access points, but this is the main one that brings you—”

  Kane heard a scream. No, he thought, more of wail. Someone moaning. Moraetes stopped—they stood outside a room marked “All-Faith Chapel.”

  Another loud wail, then words…

  “No, no…I can’t. I can’t do that, please don’t make me—” Then the voice trailed off into sobs; more inchoate wailing.

  “Someone’s having a bad day…” Kane said.

  Then two marines in armor, followed by someone in white, ran into the chapel.

  “There goes another one.”

  Kane turned to her. “Another one? Another what?”

  Now a true raging scream from inside, the man at full volume: “Stay away. Stay…away! I know they sent you. But it’s too late. Too late, that’s the thing, nobody—”

  Kane took a step toward the entrance.

  “I don’t think you should—” Moraetes started to say.

  But then Kane went in there, looking in.

  The man had backed up to a generic altar. He held a gun. Spittle flew from his mouth as he raged. “You can’t take me. They won’t let you. Don’t try.”

  The two marine security guards had moved to either side of the man, flanking him. Classic strategy, make the crazy man look left and right. They barely moved—waiting. But Kane imagined they would close in soon.

  “They’ll take all of us, you know. Every single one of—”

  Then the marine on the right moved, bringing his pistol down on the man’s hand. The screamer’s gun fell to the floor, and then the marines moved fast to pin the screamer against the altar, then onto it. Looking almost like a human sacrifice. And the doctor hurried now, an injection gun in his hand. In seconds it was over.

  One of the marines turned to see Kane at the doorway. “What the hell are you lookin’ at?”

  Kane nodded and walked away. Enough
trouble for one day.

  “Come on, Kane,” Moraetes said. “Show’s over.”

  The elevator door opened. They faced a sign that read, “Welcome to the Space Marines.”

  Except someone had crossed outSpace Marines and replaced it with a single word.

  Doom.

  “Morale a little low up here?”

  “Morale’s fine. Couldn’t be better.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.”

  Moraetes hurried past an underground security desk. “Down here you’re about to walk through the guts of Mars City. The main convergence chamber is down here, then maintenance, and one of the major energy processing plants. If you head that way—a long way—you get to the old communications station. They’re going to do something with it eventually, but for now—”

  Kane grabbed his guide.

  “Hold on.” Two marines walked down the hallway, slowly talking.

  Kane waited until they passed. “Enough with the hallways and big machines that I don’t give a damn about what the hell they do. I have some questions.”

  Maria stood there, listening.

  “Can you find some place where we won’t have people walking by every minute?”

  Moraetes looked up at him. For the first time he got a good look at her face. He could see that her dark eyes were matched with wisps of jet-black hair under a fatigue cap. Then, because he was only human, his eyes trailed to her lips. But he brought his eyes back to hers, hopefully before she noticed.

  “Questions. All right, Iam your babysitter. Guess I can handle a few questions. There are some quiet areas past Energy Processing, storage, places where they dump equipment.” She smiled, her first. “All part of the tour. Come on…”

  Moraetes led Kane down a curved passageway, then cut down another tunnel-like hall.

  “A guy could get lost down here.”

  She stopped and turned to him. “And this isn’t even the half of it. They’ve just finished a new wing that connects to Delta, so besides the monorail—”

  “Delta?”

  She laughed. “Watch your damn briefings on the PDA, okay? Delta. The massive experimental lab that—my guess—is the real reason everyone is really up here.”