Khost

by Vincent Hobbes

  “I still can’t believe we aided terrorists,” Clements said in disgust. “Probably a Democrat in office, huh?”

  “Actually, President Regan spoke highly about the Mujahideen. He praised them for being some of the greatest warriors ever,” Reynolds corrected. “We couldn’t have known we’d war here one day too. Politics happen, Sergeant. It’s just the way of the world. It’s our job to fix the messes politicians make. You know that.”

  “I suppose,” Clements muttered.

  Reynolds motioned for Svetlana to continue.

  “So, these caves were built. The Americans assisted the Mujahideen with tactics and the sort, and the tide of battle began to change. The Mujahideen already had the home field advantage, much as the Taliban do now. They had the will to die, and now the tactics and equipment to go with it. They put up a hell of a fight, ended up victorious. The Soviet Union tucked tail and went back home, humiliated in defeat,” Svetlana said.

  “Not such a bad thing,” Clements remarked.

  “It is when we’re facing some of the same people now,” Elizabeth said. “And losing.”

  “Says you,” Clements snapped.

  “You know it, I know it. This war might last a hundred years and we’ll still be fighting it,” Elizabeth said. “That matters not, though. What happened is why we’re here, our purpose.”

  “Good. Ya gonna get to the point?” Clements asked.

  “The Soviet Union was a proud culture. We Russians still are, I suppose. But during those times, the war effort was dwindling, morale was low, the world stage watched as my government suffered defeat. We realized conventional tactics wouldn’t work—not against the Mujahideen. Their guerilla tactics always did, and our only way to combat this was to change our tactics. We did, however it was too late. By nineteen eighty-four, the war was lost. There was a big push, one final effort, but it was a mistake.”

  “Khost,” Reynolds added.

  “Sorry, excuse me for not understanding, but what’s the point still?” Clements asked.

  Rivers touched Svetlana’s sleeve, smiling at her and winking, “Ma’am, don’t hold it against Country Fuck over there. He’s not the brightest guy in the world.”

  “Fuck you, SEAL,” Clements barked.

  After Colonel Reynolds got their attention once more, this time with a sharp tone, Svetlana continued. She told of the great push into Khost, the secret experiments going on at the time.

  The chemical and biological weapons.

  The successes and failures.

  She told them how her father loved to fly, and was one of the Soviet Union’s top pilots.

  Then, she told them about the cave.

  61

  “Now hold on a minute, that video we watched—of Sergeant York?” Dale began. “Look, you guys did a number on him. But still, he’s insane, right? That’s the whole point of this, isn’t it? Something in that cave makes you crazy.”

  “I’m afraid you don’t understand,” Svetlana replied. “The Soviets created a human-hybrid that lives in that cave.”

  Everyone sat up in their chairs, attentive.

  “Now, let me get this straight,” Dale said, thinking, trying to piece this mystery together. “The Soviets are getting their asses kicked, so they get desperate, develop chemical weapons, drop it on people, nasty stuff—I’ve seen it. But even this approach doesn’t work. So, they go and—”

  “They grasp the brink of insanity,” Svetlana continued for him. “They went well past humanity on this one, they created something that should never have been created.”

  “For what purpose?” Dale asked.

  “World domination. Imagine, an Army of super-soldiers. You could pump this chemical into your men before battle and you’d win every time. It was genius in theory, yet lacked in application.”

  “Ya think?” Dale said, wide eyed. “They mess with a technology that’s at best theory . . .”

  “If that,” Svetlana agreed. “Guesswork, mostly.”

  “So they hope this works, so they can conquer the world Adolph Hitler style. Mass of troops that are killing machines. Thing is, they test it on the enemy? Why’s that?”

  “It was easier that way. If the chemical didn’t work, they’d not have lost their own men,” Svetlana replied.

  “Look, I know a bit about the Soviets,” Rivers interjected. “And I know they didn’t care much for the whole human rights issue. Killing their own never really mattered much.”

  “That’s true, however, they couldn’t spare the bodies. Killing hundreds of their own soldiers wouldn’t have been a problem if they weren’t in such a desperate need of them,” Svetlana replied.

  “Fair enough,” Dale continued. “So, they test this chemical, created in some lab I’ve never heard of, by some madman scientist. Am I on the right track so far?” he asked.

  “You are,” Svetlana said.

  “Well, good. Let’s keep going then. Problem is, this chemical works. All too well I guess, because they can’t control it. Of course, you’ve yet to tell us exactly what this is. And then, to make matters worse, the Soviets turn a blind eye? They pretend it doesn’t exist and go about their business,” Dale finished.

  “Unfortunately, that’s the truth,” Svetlana stated. “Sadly, the Soviets had to focus on a losing war. They also had to worry about political pressure, so they simply washed their hands of the problem. They monitored it, though. They kept tabs, as did other nations. Word leaked, though few knew. Even now, few know of this matter.”

  “And nothing has ever been done?”

  “Not until now, no,” Svetlana replied.

  “So you’re saying it’s our job to clean up your mess?” Dale asked.

  “It’s not my mess, Sergeant Comstock,” Svetlana replied. “But yes, we’re relying on this team to fix the problem, that’s correct.”

  He shook his head, saying, “Not surprised. Seems that’s all we do now. Sorting out someone else’s mess.”

  “That’s the job,” Elizabeth interjected.

  “Indeed it is,” Dale said.

  A minute went by and Rivers half-heartedly raised his hand. “Question . . . who all knows of this? I mean, how can something of this magnitude . . . if this story is remotely true, how do you hide it? She says other nations know of it?”

  “A few dozen people in the world know of this problem,” Elizabeth answered. “It was almost forgotten, had the Delta team not gotten killed and brought it back to light. Only the highest levels in the intelligence circles worldwide know something isn’t right here. Even now, up to this point, we didn’t know exactly what was in that cave. That is, until York returned, and began to tell us.”

  “You can’t honestly believe one word he said in those interrogations, can you?” Rivers asked with a laugh, though he did not find this humorous. “He looked doped out of his mind.”

  Svetlana turned in her chair, her voice still quiet. “It’s true. I wish I could say otherwise, but it’s true.”

  “How do you know?” Rivers asked. “I mean, you’ve heard this is true, but how do you really know?”

  “First, because my father was involved in the chemical attack. He didn’t know at the time, but he fired the final compound into the cave. He was also the sole survivor. Almost died while flying overhead. Saw them up close and personal,” Svetlana told.

  “So, whatever is down there isn’t human?” Dale asked, baffled, just as his men were. “You really mean this?”

  “I do,” Svetlana answered.

  “And your father, he helped create this?” Dale asked.

  “Unbeknownst to him, yes,” she uttered.

  “Maybe we should be speaking with him,” Dale inquired. “I’d like to hear his version.”

  “You are hearing it. My father has been dead a long time now. I was young when he killed himself,” Svetlana said.

  “Why’d he do that?”

  “Because of what he saw,” Svetlana said. A sudden look of sorrow filled her eyes, came over her gen
tle face. But quickly, Svetlana recovered. “It’s what urged my studies, my knowledge of what this is all about. It’s also why I’m here. You could say I’m personally invested in this.”

  “Fair enough,” Dale said. “What others know?”

  Elizabeth spoke this time, confirming, “The British found out before we did. Sent in two teams of SAS. Mossad also sent in a few operatives, as did the Chinese. Pakistan knows of it too, but they’re smart and don’t venture too closely.”

  “So, we’ve sent others in. What did they find?” Dale asked.

  “That’s the problem. After all these years, after all the teams having gone in, we have little to no information,” Elizabeth told.

  “How’s that possible?” Dale asked.

  “Because anyone who has entered that valley has never returned,” Elizabeth answered, her tone honest. “All except Sergeant York. He is the only living human being to have entered that cave.”

  CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

  Asymmetrical Clandestine Elite Services

  Interrogation of Sergeant C. York

  Army, 1st SFOD-D

  Interviewer: Elizabeth (ACES)

  Location: Khost Province, Afghanistan

  Time: 1130 Hours Zulu

  CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET

  62

  “You know what’s fucked up about the Taliban?” York asked Elizabeth. There was something sorrowful in the man’s eyes.

  “What’s that?” Elizabeth asked, curious. Thus far, York had intrigued her. He’d challenged her mind, he’d even perhaps changed some of her belief system. Perhaps her interviews with him had caused her to grow cynical, perhaps a bit lost herself. Either way, the man interested her. She’d never seen someone so traumatized, yet cerebral at the same time.

  “They have strange ways,” York said. “Ya know, they aren’t like us. They don’t give two shits about their country. Shit, bet half couldn’t point out Afghanistan’s border. There are no patriots in Afghanistan.”

  “Then why do they do it? Why fight?”

  “They’re tribal. Territorial, like a dog. Shit, gangs are that way. Think of ’em more like gangs than a nation of people with national pride. Sooner you do, sooner you’ll understand them.”

  “Do you think it’s important to understand your enemy, Sergeant York?” she asked.

  “Of course it is. You know what you’re up against. I make no mistakes in knowing what they’re capable of. But if you want to understand an Afghani, you have to understand his mindset. He cares about his lands; his crops, his animals, whatever. Shit, an Afghani might invite you in for dinner, meet the family, feast like kings, then shoot you in the back when you’re leaving.”

  “I’ve never heard such a thing,” she responded.

  “That’s because your view of the world is different ten thousand miles away. And ya know what, I can’t really blame ’em. My family owns property, back in Montana. Haven’t been there in awhile, but good land. Someone invades it, I’d shoot back.”

  “Regardless of politics, we’re in a fight against them,”

  “We fucked up big-time. Ya see, the Taliban didn’t necessarily love Al-Qaida. They tolerated them. Would have sold them out, too. But no, we stomped our way in here and it’s brought us a mess. There are few Al-Qaida here. Taliban, and it’s their land, and they’re brutal. Fucking politics!” York exclaimed.

  Elizabeth waited silently, pondering something, thinking of their talks, of the words he’d spoken over the sessions. “You said something earlier . . . about the Afghan men stopping, not entering the valley.”

  “Froze right at the top and didn’t dare go in. Made for easy targets,” York replied.

  “They knew, didn’t they? They knew it was better to die at your hands than be killed by what was in that cave,” Elizabeth said.

  “Sure did. They wanted no part of it. See, I think how it works is like this: The villagers, they’re allowed to stay. Not sure why, but there were old ones, young ones, too, though not many. Looked to be doing okay, I guess. In A-Stan, they’re all malnourished. Either way, those things allow them to live. If for a moment they wanted the villagers dead, it would be over with.”

  “Why, Sergeant York? Why are they allowed this?”

  “Don’t know. Mutual agreement? I do know this, those things know the people are there. And the people, they sure as shit were scared. I’d imagine if we’d have left, they’d have attempted to follow,” York said.

  “What you said earlier, about the Taliban. How does it pertain to this?” she wondered.

  “Oh, by them not being human, ya mean,” he laughed.

  She found this odd.

  “Don’t get it, huh?” York asked. “Thing is, the fucking people are different here. They’ll shake your hand, then shoot you in the back. Now, whatever is in that cave still has some human left. Not much, but some. That makes me think their mentality, their culture, has something to do with it.”

  “Why would that matter?” she asked.

  “Because they were quick to kill us. No warning, no threats, just death.”

  “I see. And you suppose the reason for this is—”

  “—Generations of war. Hundreds of years of fighting, of conflict. This region, Khost . . . it’s never been conquered, ya know that?”

  “I do.”

  “Something in the water, something in their genetics. There’s something there that causes them to fight and die and it’s fucking scary enough. But whatever happened to those . . . things in there, it just isn’t right. Something destroyed their souls. Something made them un-human. Monsters,” York declared. “Fucking monsters!”

  63

  “So basically they ignore perhaps a big problem. If the experiment fails, no big deal. Thing is, sounds like the experiment was a success,” Rivers added to what Dale was saying. “Something a politician might do.”

  “Well, no politician knows of this situation,” Elizabeth said.

  “Like Sergeant Comstock stated, they just leave it up to us to clean up. The region is declared a no-man’s land. Twenty-five mile no fly zone. Unbelievable.” Rivers shook his head in disgust.

  “That’s right. And over the past two decades, little to no known activity in the region. Those who live in the valley, stay in the valley. Those who venture in, don’t make it out,” Elizabeth said.

  “And these human things . . . is there a cure? We trying to help them or hunt them?”

  “There’s no known cure. Even if there was, I don’t think the Russians would offer it. Too much embarrassment.”

  “So like you said to Country Fuck earlier, we’re here to kill them all. Sounds so primitive,” Rivers expressed. He didn’t like such a mission, one with such vile implications.

  “Jeff, you’ll seek and destroy every single one,” Elizabeth said without thinking.

  Everyone looked at them oddly, noticing the slip of the tongue.

  Elizabeth turned back to the men, saying to all of them, “The Russians attempted to create a super-soldier. They failed, creating something far worse. It’s killed many top echelon teams, the Taliban stay clear, know of them, they are not to be trifled with. Whatever is in that cave is extraordinary.”

  “They killable?” Rivers asked.

  “According to York, yes. He also has a theory . . .” Elizabeth began. “One that makes sense.”

  “Great, let’s hear the crazy guy’s theory,” Rivers said, rolling his eyes. “Lizzy, you trust him or something?” he asked.

  Again, everyone in the room noticed it. Noticed the way the pair spoke to one another, even if they attempted to disguise it.

  “These people, before the chemical hit, they were warriors. Mujahideen. They were perhaps one of the greatest armies the world has ever seen, and this province, this specific valley, housed some important men. Downright killers. Even the Spetsnaz were afraid to come to Khost.”

  “Your point?” Rivers asked.

  “York claims that somehow the chemical effected them so th
at their abilities weren’t unlearned. Instead, they continued their knowledge, continued getting better,” Elizabeth said. “According to Svetlana’s work, we believe these things have evolved in a way. They’ve adapted long enough to survive, and from York’s best guess, there might be many. We have no way of knowing their numbers, but we do know this: they are angry, and they are quick to kill,” she finished.

  “Let’s say this Sergeant’s theory is true, does it match up with the science?” Rivers asked.

  Svetlana nodded as Elizabeth confirmed, saying, “It wasn’t supposed to have long lasting effects. The men were to be dosed, and the effects would slowly fade away. Such amplification of one’s body, one’s mind, would eventually drive a man insane. This was the opinion of Mikhail, the lead scientist. The one who developed the compound.”

  “But it lasted, eh?” Rivers frowned, thinking how unbelievable this all was.

  “It’s lasted over two decades,” Elizabeth responded. “And if they are deadly enough to kill twelve members of The Unit, we know we have problems. That means they haven’t regressed. That means they still have the ability to kill, and from what York says, they did so without hesitation.”

  “Well all this talk of some crazy man’s feelings on the matter might appeal to Mister Hollywood SEAL over there, but I don’t give two shits. What I care about is INTEL, something you’re saying we don’t have much of,” Clements said.

  “Some, but not near enough. You’ll be going in blind,” Elizabeth said.

  “Fine, I’ll accept that,” Clements acknowledged. “What I don’t get is this: once the Russians, shit, once we realized there was a problem, why not just bomb the fucking place? It’s not like it hasn’t happened before, and a town of villagers in the middle of nowhere wouldn’t hit the news or anything. Why not just carpet bomb the fuck out of that valley? Why not just fire a few bunker busters into that cave and call it a day?” Clements asked.