The Rebel Compound

-0502-

“Echo-5, all move in and cover down in the tunnel. I want all possible offensive spots covered. Wait for the greenlight to breach.”

“Aye, E-5L!”

I ready and prime the charges while my comrades near me silence and cock their guns. Seems we brought AKs and lasers to this rebel facility. Good choice I say.

Once done I shoulder myself to the wall and commit to the same action with mines, a M1911 and AK.

“Get ready!”

-0510-

The canisters blasts into the air and begins shaking my team's tunnel. I can’t imagine how bad it is for the other tunnels. But now is the time!

“Brace!”

The wall ‘splodes and a holy barrage of lead and lasers pepper the room we breached. After a while empty clicks are all me and team hears, not a whimper of the unlucky few... Finally, the dust settles and all hostiles were down bleeding.

“Grand SIR, successful breach for Echo-5. Over.”

“Copy that, proceed with the op E-5L. Over.”

“Copy that. Over.”

-0520-

“Are all tangos ID’d, E-5S?”

“Aye, E-5L. They’re archived. Several ID'd are fresh recruits and not our main targets...”

“Subject Z! Subject Z!”

“Hole up Echo-5, E-5S with me!”

Thankfully the soldier neutralized the Z before we arrived but the sight otherwise... yet troop welfare took precedence over sights like these.

"E-5."

"The bastard took it like a raging brute..."

“By the sights of it, can't believe it survived after having it's body peppered. But E-5, yah stable?”

“Z got to close to me, but no pain nor a wound. Me Flyin’ Dutchman I think it talked but...”

“Me Flyin’ Dutchman indeed, E-5 patch up and clean up with the rest of Echo-5... E-5S, did I heard from an E-5 that they could talk?... Whatever, doesn't matter now, inspect that Subject Z.”

“Aye, E-5L.”

“Grand SIR, Echo-5 had confronted a Subject Z and neutralized it. Over.”

“Copy that, notifying all units..."

"All units be aware of potential Subject Zs and any other subject types present. Over.”

“Alright! Echo-5, these pecknecks decided to use the very creatures that they abhor. I say no mercy will be given to these scientists we find, except for the prisoners."

"Those damn bastards! May the Dutchman expel them to Davy Jones' Locker!"

"Let's give them the same punishment that those purged received!"

"Yargh! Ha hargh! Let's even conduct a tribunal to convict the targets before we neutralized them!"

"Echo-5, we'll give them all the due punishment and their due tribunal as well. But if we wish to execute our dreams we need to capture them. So mask up and prepare yourself on the ladderwell!”

"E-5S, sitrep?”

“Aye, we’re dealing with prototype-2 Subject Zs and this actually is one of our targets.”

“My, my. What a cruel fate. Albeit these Subjects will be a nightmare to deal with.”

“No pecking kidding, E-5L. I find it interesting yet that they choose to test on their fellow comrades and not a prisoner."

"I say that's a fate worse than death I suppose. In any case, seems that hatch is reinforced, got a tool to fix that?"

"Aye, E-5L! Let me set up the hatch breach tools.”

“Aye, E-5S. Set them up. Alright Echo-5, ready yourselves for these pecknecks.”

“Aye, E-5L!”

-0550-

“Ready?”

“Czerwony Salut!”

“Czerwony Salut!”

Then and there, the hatch ‘splodes and we rush in like an invading swarm of ants. Yet, the scene was full of Zs. It just refuses to be symbolized as such...

“Of the unholy seven seas, Z infestation!”

“Fire damn ye, fire! And set up a defensive perimeter on the hatch! Give an inch, give a mile!”

As the machine guns were finally emplaced and set up, their united thunder deafened ours and made hearing impossible - even with our gear... Then I finally regained my hearing and by then the horde was finally neutralized. Even when one stares at the blood myst, the myst stares not back with more of those bastards. But I swore I heard distinct whimpers and calls from those cadaverous, but I shook it off since it probably was hostiles from afar who didn't die fast enough.

“Echo-5, immediate consolidation and reloading now.”

“Aye, E-5L!”

“E-5S, scanners picking up more on the Zs?”

“Nie, not in the proximity of this... what in Davy Jone’s Locker is this room?”

“E-5S... yeah this is a strange room. Probably a makeshift experiment-arena room.”

“E-5L, I guess that’s how they were able to test out the bastards. Hmm... hypocrisy coming from them I say.”

“Indeed thinking about it, don't they "detest" the existence of Zs?... In any case: was that Z from earlier a scientist that made the bastards?”

“Worse, he was the head scientist of a much deadlier disease, Subject Xs...”

Sudden fire erupted from the opened gates, looks like this compound was turning to a shit show real fast.

“Echo-5, hole up here until we give the go to annex the following areas. E-5S and you E-5E, come with me.”

“Aye, E-5L!”

“Aye, Echo-5 aim at the gate but know we'll be danger close. E-5S and E-5E, quick time to the open gate.”

We rushed to the gate, and saw one path with two tangos, 3 Zs and rooms. The other path had an open gate with the rest of the other rooms.

“E-5S and E, two birds with one stone. Wait for them to weaken themselves and pepper the winners... Alright struggle is almost over... ready, aim and FIRE!"

“Think they're dead enough now. Good shooting E-5S and E.”

“Thank yah E-5L.”

“Welcome. Actually E-5E stick with my squad and become my acting E-5E leader.”

“With pleasure E-5L.”

“Alright, all of Echo-5, but the gunners, come here.”

“Aye, now we got openable rooms. I want at least three on each hatch and we’ll breach at the same time on my word. Let the E-5Es do their magic. E-5S, with me on the Zs, let’s id them and see if the trend follows of being Prototype-2s.”

“Aye E-5L.”

I never took the time to analyze a Prototype-2 Subject Z. They do look grotesque, yet have surprising advantages to say the least. In their arsenal they have double the arm limbs, a reinforced but inflated skull, wolf-like teethes and outgrown but bone-reinforced nails. Might as well give a third set of limbs and call them spiders after that.

“All so far Prototype-2s. We can confirm with HQ, do so effectively. I will check in on the progress of the E-5Es.”

“Aye E-5S... Grand SIR, updated report. Subject Zs are Prototype-2s. I repeat Subject Zs are Prototype-2s. Increased advisory stratagem is advised. Over.”

“Thank yah E-5L, updating sitrep and all active units now. Over... All units be advised that Subject Zs are of the Prototype-2 variant. Danger close fire will be enforced and caution ought to be exercised otherwise. Sitrep over.”

“What why do I hear whimpering again?... Hmmm... Pecking hell, this is one nightmare to deal with.”

-0630-

“E-5E leader, E-5Es have completed their taskers?”

“Aye E-5L. Ready to breach now.”

“Outstanding work, prepare the charges and squeeze on my go. Right now, E-5S take the right extreme, I will take the left extreme and E-5E leader take the middle extreme.”

“Aye E-5L!”

As I got closer to my extreme, I try to hear out for danger before realizing they emplaced a sentry to shoot all hostiles and Zs that dares to provoke us. I say, Echo-5 has some sense of their surroundings.

“Alright, I will take the lead into this room. Stick closely and remember, danger close.”

“Aye E-5L.”

“Alright, E-5E leader, pull the trigger!”

Equally as the explosions were synchronized, equally we breached once more in unity. Yet nothing but corpses strewn about in all rooms.

Thankfully no sick bastard had the bright idea of making satanic iconography. Or, for that matter, a ritual in the middle of an Z outbreak. But none of them looked in any way an actual death.

An inquiry took place, the sight was beyond FUBAR and beyond simple ignoring. Regardless we did after all had secondary taskers of inquiring the nature of the hostile facility. Other than E-5S and the Es that I commanded to inquire, the rest focused on reinforcing the annexed perimeter while id-ing any and all Non-Z hostiles.

“E-5S and E leader, sitrep of the corpses. E-5S first.”

“The trend appears to be that the corpses were executed and realigned postmortem, interesting of all is that this happened before the canisters were shot - approximately two days ago from now.”

“Any reason why for their executions?”

“One of the corpses, a fresh one, was actually a tango that committed suicide; upon further inspection he had a document that outlined the reason for these peoples’ deaths.”

“And this is where we step in. We found out that they were all human test subjects based upon the structure of the rooms and having close proximity to the arena room. Anywho, most if not all were found to be executed on the same day. Due cause? The document lists that one of them was a rat for us.”

“Damn shame.”

“We already sent this to HQ, so no need to break the news to them.”

"Alright, can we trace the surveillance and recordings to a central room?"

"That's taken care of by the joint-team of Echo-1 and Echo-2."

"Well, that's at least good. Pecking hell, can't imagine the suffering they faced..."

"They're somewhere better than this excuse for a Hell."

"Probably the only thing we can be certain of... Alright Echo-5, we're moving from this post. Once we leave, the tunnel we created will have to cave in. Thankfully we got more than enough to achieve such. Otherwise, disable our sentries and sentry posts now - we're cleaning up the rest of the compound with haste."

"Aye E-5L."

-0710-

"Hey there's that shuffling noise in the vents again."

"I see no ventilation hatch, so we're safe for the most part. Lest they learn how to carve things out."

"Hey knock it both of ye E-5s."

"Aye E-5L!"

"Hey I hear loud thudding heading our way."

"Echo-5 halt, hole up somewhere and ready your arms. My command, we shoot."

And that E-5 was correct, thudding was heading our way. Yet as I leaned in to listen more carefully, I heard a unholy concoction of heckling, moaning and screeches. Then as they got closer, there was no way to mistake this not for being a horde of Zs. Yet, they stumble uncontrollably as others trampling over each other... while others tried to communicate to us? Oh me Flyin' Dutchman, how can such a being be still human despite subjected to a fate more cruel than death?

"Alright get ready to fire. Aim, steady and FIRE!"

"This horde ain't slowing down! They're inching closer to us death by death, E-5L I request a tactical retreat!"

"Hold on, the horde's thinning out. Their density is decreasing with each fallen body... Wait! There's a Subject X!"

"X! Everyone, heavy cover fire and double time out of here!"

Yet before we could even give up an inch, that Subject X latches up and unto a E-5 and starts struggling to rip it apart. But I wasn't going to allow one man to die on my watch, so I peppered lead on the Subject X. Then I got backup from E-5S and E-5E leader who joined in to wrestle the Subject X off of an E-5.

"Aim for the head E-5S and E leader, that's the fastest way to release a stranglehold! Come on, before the Z horde gets danger close to us!"

As we got closer to the X, it became more squeamish and presented a challenge to upkeep the fire to save that E-5. And instead of killing that E-5, it pounces off and latches unto me this time as I gotten too close for its liking. E-5E leader swoops in to drag the E-5 out of the scene, while E-5S keeps pelting lasers on its damned head. Then it spoke to me.

"Why.... are you he he here? Who ca cares! I wi will not make this this pleasant. For I ha had to to suffer becoming this. You ma made me me into..."

Then E-5S landed a perfect blow on the X but it only made it shut up and not end its sparing with me. I had to contend with fighting the many wrestling limbs that sought to tear me apart. And I fared for a while, but I instinctively punched it whenever it opened its damn mouth. The damn mouth was a bigger concern than its many limbs.

Finally it rears back when I punched its mouth hard and then E-5S lands a laser straight to the mouth. I pull out my M1911 and pop hot lead inside the mouth to its brain - finally finishing off this nightmare of a beast. Then I started to hear clearly some whimpers from the horde again while I was aided up unto my feat...

"Please end de de our suff... fering!"

"I can can't stand de this!"

"God hel hel help me!"

The rest were moaning in pain, none wishing to survive but still striding forth.

"Holy peck, get up E-5L. Z horde is danger pecking close!"

"Alright, let's dash the peck out of here then. Come on, Echo-5 probably set up another defensive position by now."

By the Flyin' Dutchman they did set up a machine gun emplacement way before we came back. So we vaulted over the barricades and ducked into the hole. The release of thunder by that machine gun deafened my ears again but by jolly I wasn't a snack for the Zs. By the end of flashing, another horde turned swiss cheese... luck once more saved us all.

-0750-

"Echo-5, let's continue to hole up here... this morning has been too stressful to deal with. We slaughtered too many damn hordes already and we had no time to relax with our work ethic. I say we might as well apply to be drones!"

Faint cackling followed from Echo-5, but the room was less dreadful thankfully. Albeit that joke was probably stale as all hell, might as well say something to recover from this staggering insanity.

"Hey E-5L, yah know how many tangos it takes to unscrew this mess?"

"How many?"

"None because they don't know how to survive!"

More cackling follows threw despite the joke being equally or more stale than even mine. But the dread seemed to dissipate away and a new sense of energy seemed to be beaming all throughout the team. Still, dread was still lingering.

"Alright, we can crack jokes and tell war stories after this op. Let's get ready to move on."

"Aye E-5L!"

"Grand SIR..."

"Subject Xs, we know unfortunately... other Echo Teams reported them first, yah seem to be the last one to deal with them. I am ordering an immediate pull out now. Get back home safely and expeditiously..."

"Aye Grand SIR!"

"Your lucky day Echo-5! We get to leave early with our findings, let's get out before more Xs and Zs show up."

"Aye E-5L!"

Then we began to book it out of there, with no care other than shooting any hostile force that was in our way. Every room became more and more a blur of the same-old Z feasting on a corpse or a X pouncing about on hostiles yet not dead miraculously. But as I drifted my mind, I began to realize some Zs were acting funny with their humanly chaotic actions and some even begging us to end them. At first we granted these mercy kills, yet as we realize our bullet count was dropping we began to tune them out. But no one could deny their very downtrodden existence, yet we couldn't risk turning into them.

Finally we began to see one of the exits so I screamed at Echo-5 to hurry up. We raised our collective ærs and scurried out of here even faster but our visions becoming blurrier, narrower and more strained.

But we exfiltrated out and we were greeted by fellow Echo Teams as we vaulted over their barricades on the LZ. Then they continue their barrage on the facility, me and few others peaked to see that we were chased but they lasted not long.

"E-5L, I'm E-4L. Same mission to collectively exfiltrate out? If so, is your tasker complete?"

"Yes, same mission... we got a lot of our taskers done. You'll see how demented this facility was... What's the time?"

"Um... 0902... So yah also heard Zs and Xs talking as well?"

"Unfortunately I first thought one of my E-5s were going crazy from shock, then I thought I was paranoid. But each encounter only shook me more and more into my core til I couldn't deny that very reality that stared in front of me. How can one be such, it just doesn't... the ambiguity is here. Are they still in the early stages or are they fully developed Zs and Xs? I'm at a loss...

"... I equally at a loss of words as well... Hey E-5L looks like your exfiltration is ready, see yah at HQ E-5L."

"The same for yah as well E-4L."

I made sure all members of Echo-5 were still kicking and by a contingent luck we scrapped by well. We all boarded up, demasked and cracked jokes once more. But I pull out a cigar and a lighter while looking at the compound and as I finally lit the cigar as they finally put the last charges over that exit knowing as our remaining troops pull out of the compound... Finally the exit exploded and the breach was sealed.

Another mission was down, but the war continues on. And more fuel to the fire that the Central Committee can stoke. And for what I care about, I hope that the Purges will become harsher to these demented people. The only thing I cannot truly understand is that the Zs and Xs... talked...

Fratres mortuis requiescat in pace.

(This post was made for the spring horror contest. Click here to see the contest post.)