by Oliver Tuson
Millerchip was straight to the point. Wanting to move past the current conflict and keep the team focused and on track. “We need a way out and we need communications back to control… and fast,” he said whilst gesturing to Frost who was looking pale with blood loss.
“How we doing for ammo and weapons?” Clarke added, back to his normal professional tone. Frost and Millerchip looked at each, both having lost their rifles in the brutal fight against the creatures. Millerchip tapped his sidearm on his leg. Touching the Browning 9mm pistol almost for comfort. Frost looked to the injury on his leg where his pistol should have been. “Fucker must have torn it off with most of my leg.” He said to the alpha leader with a soft chuckle that broke through his pain barrier for a second.
“Don’t worry Frosty…” Millerchip tapped the combat knife on Frost’s belt. “Guns are for show, knives are for pros.” Frost managed a slight laugh before the pain made him stop and wince once more.
“Guess we don’t need these now…” Millerchip pulled the remaining spare assault rifle magazines from their assault vests and passed them to Clarke who distributed them between Williams and the rest of bravo.
“Even with them, ammos tight.” Hawkins added. “We got some grenades left too.”
“I for one, don’t plan on going back out there so let us hope we are alone in here then…” Jasper said as he looked down towards the darkness. Clarke nodded in agreement as he turned to Millerchip. “We need to investigate down there. Maybe there's another route out.” Millerchip nodded as he pulled his pistol out with his good arm. The other had blood starting to seep through the white bandages.
“Hey, I know you want to take the lead here, but maybe its best if you and Williams, stay here with Frost. I’ll take Bravo to investigate then come back.” Millerchip went to protest as he felt a wave of pain flow through his arm. Instead, with a sigh he holstered his pistol and nodded in agreement. He knew Clarke was right. As much as it pained him to agree. He was wounded and Frost probably couldn’t walk and would need Williams to redress the wound and monitor him.
The bravo leader turned to his team who were mounting their torches onto their rifles with Williams’ medical tape. “Right then…” He looked at Hawkins to try and heal some of the damage their argument caused. “Ready to go exploring?” On hearing the words Hawkins instantly had his usual excited grin on his face as he faced the darkness stretched out before them. “Always boss!” He replied with no hint of anger in his voice anymore.
With Williams attending to Frost’s leg and Millerchip watching the men leave, bravo team moved down into the depths of the dark corridor, their torches cutting through the darkness like lasers into the night sky as the metallic floor sent their footsteps echoing ahead.
10
Into the Darkness
15:20, 15th August 2003
Corridor, Ahmed’s Grid Reference, Northern Iraq
After a few minutes of walking cautiously into the unknown, the team reached a set of thick metal double doors blocking the corridor. “Go!” whispered Clarke whilst looking over the sights of his rifle, covering Sanchez whose hands were ready to open the large door. He gave it a pull. Nothing. Sanchez screwed his face up in frustration. He repositioned, dug his feet in and pulled hard again. This time the metal moved. Screeching loudly in the silent corridor as it slid open.
Clarke stepped through into a large room. The light on his rifle moving around checking for threats. Behind him the rest of bravo flowed in, all checking the corners of the room until a series of whispered shouts rung out. “Clear!”
Clarke took in the large room. Some sort of security checkpoint. It reminded him of the last time he went through a civilian airport. Two large x-ray scanners ran along the walls with walk through metal detectors arching between them. The mains lighting was off, but small red lights offered limited illumination from the corners of the ceiling, but the room still appeared mainly dark. The red lights throwing eerie shadows over the room. Emergency lighting, Clarke concluded as he moved his torch around the room and caught a large metallic sign dominating most of the wall. ‘Maximum Security Area. No Unauthorised Personal Beyond this point.’
“Where are we?” Hawkins asked as he illuminated a set of double doors at the far side of the room.
“No idea brother,” Sanchez replied as he moved through the metal detectors. They buzzed loudly in the room shattering the silence. The sound making him flinch as he stepped past. The machines bright orange warning lights temporarily casting further shadows around the dim room. A moment later there was a deathly silence again.
“Fuck… that made me jump!” Hawkins said letting out a sigh.
Clarke pointed at the emergency lights then towards the detectors. “If these are on, then whatever this place is still has some power. And if there is power, maybe there is communications in this place. Phones or internet maybe?”
“But what is this place?” Hawkins approached the detectors ready to pass through, but stopped and faced Clarke. “Maybe our friend Ahmed was right? Maybe the nukes are here.” He gestured towards the doors at the end of the room with his weapon’s torch. “Somewhere beyond there maybe?”
“Maybe Hawks. Only one way to find out.” One by one they crossed through the detectors that buzzed angrily in return. Once through, they gathered by the far doors, weapons raised and ready to progress. “Go!” They moved through ready to secure and clear the next room beyond.
They entered a much larger room, the same red lights littered around continuing to cast an eerie glow over the team. Seats ran up one wall with large fake plants every now and then separating them. A large counter the other side. To the end of the room, elevator doors dominated the wall with a staircase entry to the right and another door marked ‘Authorised Personnel Only’ to its left.
Clarke looked at the plastic green pot plants softening the image of the room. A reception area? He thought as he watched Jasper move behind the counter where computer monitors ran along its length. Jasper’s light shone on the terminals and old coffee cups that littered the counter. He tapped at the keyboard of each monitor as he moved. No power, he thought to himself with frustration. His torch lit up a simple phone unit. With a silent prayer he picked up the handset whilst looking at the rest of the team watching him with hope. Nothing. Jasper shook his head with disappointment as Clarke flashed his torch above where Jasper stood behind the counter.
‘Welcome to the Hades Facility'. The letters were in bold extending out of the wall. It reminded Clarke of the fancy lettering companies used in expensive buildings in London.
“Hades?” He whispered as Sanchez came and stood beside him. “The Greek god of the underworld.” The scotsman said as Hawkins gave him a look. Surprised at his friend's knowledge. Sanchez noticed the younger soldier's glance. “His name also eventually got used to describe the home of the dead. The afterlife. Sometimes hell. I’ve got a bit of a thing for ancient Greece, you know, read a few books…” He was cut off by Jaspers excited voice.
“Hey! We got power here boss!” Jasper pressed the final keyboard causing the monitor to come to life. The light illuminating his dirty face. His hair still caped in dust and sweat from the cave in.
“Hawkins take overwatch, cover that door.” Clarke ordered as he gestured towards the elevators and staircase. Jasper was already tapping on the keyboard bringing the screen to life when Clarke came along side. “What you got?”
“Wait one boss…” The screen then loaded.
‘Warning. Warning. Warning. Facility lock down now in progress. All personnel to report to evacuation sites immediately. Limited services now only available.’
Jasper pressed away on the keyboard. “The system has shut down most of its hard drive. There's nothing else on here. No internet. No access to anything beyond here.” He swore as he tried different programmes unsuccessfully.
“Wait… I got something. Access to an evacuation map layout.” The screen turned to a simple diagram. “Look…” He tapped
the top of the screen where a square was labelled ‘Reception’.
“We must be here.” His finger ran down the elevator line to the next level down where the diagram labelled a cluster of rooms. “Medical, Security, Control, Communications…” he said out loud.
Sanchez whistled “Jesus… this place is huge. How deep in the mountain does it go?”
Jasper scrolled the map down to another level below. “Facilities, Power, Water, Air Filtration.” He scrolled down again and swore quietly. “Ahmed was right. Maybe this place is the weapons facility he said about. Look…”
The fourth floor down was not mapped out but simply stated: ‘Maximum Security, Authorised Personnel Only. Research and Development Sectors One to six.’
Clarke patted him on the shoulder in praise. “If this place is a weapons facility as the intelligence led us to believe, then they have to be there. Or at least some evidence of the weapons. Can you get a map up of down there? Or anything else we can use?” Jasper played around on the keypad. Nothing.
Sanchez touched the screen where it said medical. “If we can get Frosty there, might be able to stabilise him better. Maybe give him some more time.” Clarke nodded as he studied the map further.
“Then control and comms. Maybe we can get through to command? Get an evacuation sorted? Even if they need to dig us out of this hell hole.” Clarke added as he started to form a plan to get his men out alive.
“You know what's strange?’ Jasper looked at the screen with confusion on his face.
“This whole fucking place…” Hawkins mumbled half to himself as he continued to watch the doors for any threats. Jasper shock his head. “Why is none of this in Arabic? It's all English. Way out here in the middle of Iraq? Makes no sense.”
The four men all shared a look as they slowly nodded in realisation of Jaspers keen observation.
“What does that mean?” Hawkins voice was confused. Clarke shook his head as he looked at him.
“I don’t know. This whole situation is fucked. Either way, we have got to get moving for Frosty. Hawks try that lift.”
Hawkins moved up and pressed the call button. Nothing. No power. He looked at the stairs to the right and then to Sanchez. “Sorry old man…no stair lift,” he mocked towards his friend.
Sanchez punched him in the arm as he walked past him and moved to the top of the flight of stairs and looked down, listening carefully. Nothing. The dull red lights fixed into the wall kept going down offering just enough light to illuminate the stairwell. Hawkins appeared beside him with his weapon trained down the staircase. They both paused listening. A musty smell rose up from far below creating a sense of fear in the quiet dark.
“We got this.” Offered Hawkins as he raised his fist. Sanchez nodded and bumped his fist then moved down the first flight of stairs, his boots giving of a metallic thud as he moved. Hawkins followed him down with Clarke and Jasper behind. All had their weapons up. Looking over the sights and following their lines of sight where ever they looked. “How deep is this?” Jasper whispered after descending six flights. “Next stop hades…” Hawkins joked with the new found knowledge he had acquired as he descended another flight. After another nine flights the stairs abruptly ended. Before the team, a huge metal double door greeted them. They paused before it catching their breath. The air had become cooler the deeper they went. The musky smell getting stronger. Hawkins moved up to the door and checked the handle, not locked. He glanced at Clarke who gave him a nod, then opened it slowly.
They emerged in to a sizeable circular area with ten meter high walls. The walls, smooth painted black metal, reached up high and curved into the ceiling where a big bright red warning light spun around like a police car’s light. Its movement sending waves of crimson light and shadows dancing around the dim room.
The four men crept silently into area, weapons raised, their lights still beaming from their assault rifles as they searched around. A series of large electric doors ran the circumference of the tall walls. Most with a flashing red light on a panel next to it. Clarke looked at a door with ‘Medical’ stamped above it and crept towards the red light shining from its side panel. As he got closer, he could make out the locked symbol and a finger print reader next to it. Whatever this place was, this area must be the centre for this level. Like an atrium to the other areas. All the doors running to different departments of the facility, Clarke thought whilst looking about the centre.
“Pssst!” He turned to face Jasper who was shining his torch down to a large pool of blood. His torch following the red fluid in through the only open door. Above the half-opened door, the words ‘Common Room’ were stamped in bold text. Clarke felt his pulse quicken as the four men moved towards the door. The streaks of blood kept going in, through the door and further into the room beyond.
Moving to the front, Clarke pushed through the open door into a generous room filled with canteen style tables and chairs. Vending machines were dotted about the room. All with no power. The men's light flashed across the room picking up other doors marked ‘Locker Room’, ‘Reading Room’ and ‘Kitchen’.
Clarke cautiously followed the trial of blood towards the centre of the room. His torch making the blood shine bright in the otherwise dark room. The trail abruptly ended in another pool almost in the middle of the room between the tables and chairs.
He moved up to the pool of blood and knelt down. The rest of the team spread out clearing and checking the rooms whilst the bravo leader investigated. No body, he thought as he touched the blood. And still wet. Then it rippled. Clarkes stomach turned as a wave of fear overcame him.
Another drip fell from above, hitting the pool with a soft splash, sending more ripples radiating out. He looked up slowly. His rifle torch gradually lighting the area above him. From the open ceiling air vent above, eight dull red eyes were looking down at him, silhouetted by the darkness of the vent. A lipless mouth was wide open. Fresh blood covering long razor-sharp teeth that glistened in the bright torch light. Another drop of blood fell from its long-forked tongue that flicked down as if tasting the fear that was building up in Clarkes mind. Its skin somehow blended effortlessly with the darkness of the vent. Huge thick claws dug into the lip of the air vent whilst a second set of thick muscular arms were clutching the torso and head of a body. Its multiple eyes narrowed as it focused on Clark and suddenly dropped the remains of the body that splashed in the pool of blood below. Its blood-stained claws now extending down towards Clarke’s head.
He tried to leap back, his feet skidding in the puddle of blood, whilst he squeezed a burst of gunfire up at the vent. The panicked shots went wide, sparks flashing off the metal as the creature hissed and leant further out of the vent getting ready to pounce down. Clarke was readjusting his aim as he lay helpless on his back as gunfire erupted from around the room as bravo came to their leader’s aid. Their rounds sparking around the ceiling and a few digging into the monster that gave a blood curdling shriek and scuttled back into the vent that gave a metallic echo as it retreated deep down the ventilation shaft.
“Cease fire!” Clarke was up and backing away from the vent that so nearly delivered his death.
“What the fuck was that!” Jasper shouted whilst reloading.
“Another one of those things from outside?”
Clarke shook his head as he moved further away and put his back against a wall, his rifle still aiming at the vent. “No. That was different. God knows what that thing was!”. The room fell silent again as the team all listened and looked towards the vent and the remains of the body that had been dropped.
“Fuck man. We are trapped in here with that… or those things running round. We don’t stand a fucking chance. Just fucking look!” Hawkins shouted in frustration as his torch illuminated the remains in the blood.
“Hey! Pull it together! The plan still stands.” Clarke added with authority, trying to calm him slightly. “And Frosty needs us. He needs medical.” Hawkins shook his head.
“But Medical was
locked down. Security is tight. Finger print recognition. No way we are getting in there.”
“Maybe he can help.” Sanchez gestured towards the remains that had fallen from the vent. The torso was missing the left arm, torn off at the shoulder. Its lower body looked to have been cut away leaving intestines dropping out whilst its head was almost unrecognisable from claw marks. Clarke looked at the medical style lab coat the person had been wearing. The brilliant white now smeared in blood. The right hand appeared to be intact, along with the fingers needed to operate the print readers.
“Cover me.” Clarke said as he took a deep breath and moved towards it. The other three trained their rifles up at the vent.
“Easy boss…” Sanchez whispered as Clarke got close to the body. He reached the remains and looked up at the empty vent. One hand holding his rifle, aiming it up towards the open space whilst the other grabbed at the lab coat. With a grunt he pulled it from directly under the vent.
“That's cold man…” Hawkins said at the sight of Clarke dragging the corpse across the room and out of the door towards medical. The three followed. Still on guard for any sign of the creature reemerging from the vent.
“Give me a hand here,” he asked through gritted teeth as he lifted the torso. No one moved. They all looked at Clarke cradling the bloody mess in his arms. The blood dripping from the threads of intestine and muscle from the severed body.
“Come on, you guys want to get out or not?” Sanchez shook his head and walked up to him. “You’re hardcore boss.” Taking the hand of the corpse he placed the finger on the reader. It buzzed negatively. The noise loud and making the other two look around for any sign of the monster coming back. The red light stayed on. “Shit. Try again.” Nothing.
