by Nguyen,Peter
I glance back and I see Yuri, lecturing Vera how she should not wonder off without his order, giving her a warning.
I then give Vera a nod and then place the device back where I found it.
“You’re right Sergeant Yuri, it won’t happen again,” Vera says.
Yuri and his men leave Vera. I linger next to her and quickly whisper in her ear. “I owe you for that,” I say.
“No shit!” Vera whisper back.
X
The loud thunder crashes down as the rain penetrates the top base of the tent. I never stayed in such a roomy tent. It can fit almost 20 people, even a few more if we wanted to. Every time a troop would enter or exit, the violent wind would rush in with them, keeping us awake and alert. I don’t think sleeping is the best option right now, considering the Cyto field is the most dangerous place in the world. I look over at Vera who is sitting on her bed with her knees to her chest. I didn’t realize someone like her would ever get scare, but I don’t blame her. Who knows what’s out roaming out there.
“Hey we’ll be okay,” I say.
“I know, I’m just pissed they’re not letting us know about their plans,” Vera exclaims.
The older experienced troops are all looking at some sort of map but as initiates, we aren’t even allowed to know their strategies. They’re afraid we might ruin everything and get in the way. We’re basically just here to observe and give them an extra hand if they needed us.
The weapon we get to hold is a small knife.
“I feel more like a watchman,” Vera glares at the laughing soldier.
Leaving Capa’s domain is one thing but I would have never expected to be assigned on this kind of mission especially in the hunting ground. Hearing stories about the failed creepy experiments and radiated death zones just never ends with a happy ending. I’m starting to feel envy towards Garrett who wasn’t one of the five initiates who isn’t under Ace’s radar. Knowing that Ace hates my guts, I assume she sent the five of us out here to die.
Carter and Alex are talking to Isaac who I don’t think is a good influence. He has an abnormal scent that mostly due to legal drugs. The bags under his eyes would agree with me. It looks like he hasn’t slept in days
Carter walks over here and he seems to be holding something. He looks at the older troops who are so distracted with plans and some of them are getting high.
“You guys got to check this out. Isaac stole some pills from the lab before the mission.”
“I knew he was crazy “I interrupt.
“What kind of pills?” Vera asks.
“They turn off all your emotions temporarily and you become this fearless soldier.”
Isaac and Alex sneaks into our conversation. They’re watchful eyes make my heart beat faster than normal. I feel like I’m doing something illegal and Carter is always the one who will pressure me into doing it.
“Umm I don’t know about this.”
“Oh don’t be such a coward. Just take dude.”
Maybe repressing the fears is a good thing. Vera immediately takes one and puts in her mouth. She quickly swallows it and shivers.
“Good girl” Isaac smirks.
Carter and Alex do the same swallow the pill. Carter holds out the clear pill and I take it. “Come on what are you waiting for Hazer?” I look at the pill and I slowly swallow it. Sharp tingling starts to radiate my skin and my heart begins to slow down. My anxiety is gone and I don’t remember what I was scared of in the first place. I feel great. No, I feel better.
“What are you initiates talking about over here?” Yuri walks over.
“Umm nothing? Why don’t you go back to your group over there?” Carter points.
“Excuses me?” Yuri snaps.
I would have never thought those words would ever come out of Carters mouth, especially to the leader of this squad. The drug is making him so reckless and stupid.
“I’m just saying that you guys brought us out here with no purpose,” Carter whispers.
“That’s it! I’m going to teach you kids a lesson. You want to be part our plan? Great! We needed a bait to draw out Patient Zero.”
“Sir, he doesn’t know what he is talking about. He’s just being stupid” Vera says, knowing we wouldn’t last a second out there.
“Another reason to send you useless scumbags out there” Yuri loads his rifle.
“You want us to go out there? Find with me” Carter stands up and stares directly at Yuri’s strict eyes.
“Yuri, we have the location on patient zero” says Chris as he enters the tent.
“Get everyone ready we are leaving now and bring in a Discern. As for you five, don’t ever get on my bad side again or the hunting ground will be the last thing you should be afraid of.”
Yuri walks out of the tent and Carter quickly raises his middle finger which made me shovel him out of anger.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“The only thing that is wrong with me is I’m still your friend.”
“That drug really did mess you up.”
“Yea go ahead, blame the drug. My dad could still be alive right now if it wasn’t your fault.”
“Carter, stop it!” Vera shouts.
“No it’s his fault!” Carter points at me.
“You got to be kidding me,” I say.
“If he hadn’t tried to protect your worthless mother, then…..” Carter isn’t able to finish his sentence as I tighten my fist and slam my knuckles against his mouth, causing him spit blood.
“Guys stop this!” Vera cuts between us.
“Oh Carter, you are you going to take that,” Isaac provokes.
“My mom punches harder than that,” Carter laughs with blood on his teeth.
Carter pushes Vera to the side and charges at me. I try to stop him with a kick but he grabs my leg and slams me down. My head nearly makes contact with the hard ground. The Northern troops start to gather around us, waiting to see who is stronger and a worthy solider, their fists in the air as they favor on the fight. What we had learn these past days is now being put to the test.
I quickly get up and raise both of my fists in front of my face, just like how they trained us. I can feel my blood rushing through my veins as my heart pulse faster. Carter and I circle around each other, waiting for one of us to lunge in.
“I’m going to enjoy this” Carter scold.
“Let’s pick up where we left off,” I shout.
I quickly change our circle direction and slide inward. I bring in a few punches but Carter evades all of them. He’s fast.
He swings a hand and hits my ear. The aching pain starts to sets in. Carter comes back in with another punch but I quickly grab his fist before it can contact my eye, but he spins and elbows me hard and knocking me down.
BANG!
The Northern troop immediately stops cheering and goes outside to see where the sound came from. I wipe the blood off my nose and get up.
“You’re not worth my time,” Carter says. I throw Isaacs’ pill on the ground in front of him.
“What is going on here?” Chris yells.
“Carter and Hazer are fighting,” Alex says.
Chris looks carefully at Alex’s eyes. “What the hell happen to your eyes? Are you on drugs?”
“What makes you say that?”
“Your pupils are dilated.”
“Then I guess I am,” Alex announces.
“You’re defiantly in big trouble little man” Chris grabs Alex by the back of the neck.
We follow Chris as he walks outside the tent where everyone is waiting. Some of them are on their sniper rifles and looking out in the woods. From afar I can see a dark valley.
“I saw something move over there” the troop points down hill where towards the dark valley.
“Listen up! There about 20 of us and I want to make things clear. Whatever you encounter in this forest do not provoke a fight. We cannot afford to lose any men and the fact weren’t sure what experiments the other t
erritories have released in this area can catch off guard.”
“Shouldn’t we wait till dawn sir” Chris interrupts.
“No. We’ll be less noticeable in the dark. As for the enemy, we are able to see them.” Yuri looks up at the sky.
After waiting a few minutes, an air craft hovers right above the dark clouds. I notice there are blinking lights under the air craft Yuri looks down at his watch as if he’s waiting for something. Suddenly the aircraft releases an unexpected black object.
“Is that a pod?” ask Vera.
The strange pod flies down like a missile and hits the open field in front of us. It looks like some sort of human pod. There are strange black hexagons designs all over the outside as a wave of white light pulses in an undulating form. The whole thing looks almost alien like, something you would out of a book or film, right before they land and take over the world.
“The Redeemed is here. I want all of you to treat her with respect,” Yuri eyes me and Carter.
The pod opens and releases gray smoke. It‘s isn’t an alien, it’s a girl that emerges from smoke.
It’s Arraya and she’s alive. She looks at us at the bottom of the hill. I feel so relief knowing she survived the attack the other day.
She walks up the hill where we wait for her with red flares. Everyone makes way as she approaches Yuri.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes” Arraya replies.
“Pack everything.” Yuri orders his men.
She looks over and walks towards me. It takes me by surprise as she immediately pulls me within thin arms. Her grip is so strong that I literally feel like I’m about break apart. I didn’t realize a Redeemed can be so strong, processing abnormal strength.
“I just don’t know how to thank you for saving me,” Arraya says.
“Well I couldn’t just leave you in the smoke,” the words barley comes as I’m gasping for air.
“Sorry,” Arraya lets go.
“What smoke?” Carter interrupts.
“Hazer didn’t tell you? He’s the one who got me out of the deadly smoke when the attacker happened.”
Carter turns to me, waiting for confirmation but I clutch my jaws and look away. I know he probably hates me less now but I still don’t forgive him for what he said even with or without the drug.
“Is this true,” he says.
“It doesn’t matter. None of this will change,” I say.
I walk off before Carter can get a word out.
“Pack the equipments and move out” Yuri orders.
We all start to walk down hill and I quickly pull out my knife as we enter the woods. I begin to have a really bad feeling about this and I don’t know why. I feel like something is telling me to not go any further. It’s as if I’m walking to my own grave.
Arraya’s watchful eyes turn red as it gets pitch dark. Arraya a Discern Redeemed, I remember Garret telling me when we bored during our training. A Discern’s visions are enhanced when active. She can see within a mile radius even in the dark. The military uses her powers to track down targets.
Yuri turns on a flashlight and we follow him.
“We should be safe. I don’t see anything” Arraya turns her head from left to right.
I zip up my jacket as it starts to get colder. Carter is walking with Isaac behind me and I can hear them whispering something. Carter and I always get into fight when we were younger but this is the first time where it just feels personal.
We reach to a certain point in the forest where we can see tall skyscrapers. The abandon buildings sent chills down my spine.
“STOP!” Arraya yells.
We all turn towards her as she looks into the darkness. He slowly moves her head and we look to see if there is anything there.
“What do you see?”
“It’s not clear but I think its person.”
I grip my knife as I hear movement from afar. The troops hold out their guns and began walking in Arraya’s lead.
“Describe it?”
“It’s a man, about 6’3, bulky, and unarmed. He seems to be standing there.”
“You think it’s a Cyler?” Chris whispers.
“I don’t know,” says Arraya.
Yuri shines his flash light into the trees but we don’t see anything. Arraya points and Yuri shines again. I notice there’s a dark figure from a distance. It starts to walk into the light and it’s not a man. Chills start running down my spine and my muscle starts to ache as we look into its reflecting jet black eyes. It has black hair and its face is doesn’t even look human. He’s covered in blood and his ripped cloths reveal his thick like pale skin. Everyone immediately back away as the thing gets closer
“What is your name?” Yuri shouts
“Sir I think those are Cylers,” Chris says.
We learned in the military that Cylers are failed experiments that were released into the Cyto field by the West military, but we’re unsure what they look like.
The strange man looks down at Yuri and smiles. His blood dripping teeth is shark like and everyone is in fear as they point their gun at the monster’s head.
“I repeat what is…” before Yuri can finish the strange man swings his hand, but Yuri luckily dodges it but drops his flashlight. Yuri quickly opens fire and the troops follow in his response. The loud gun echoes throughout the forest and the crows flutter out of trees, swarming all around us. I can feel my heart racing as I have nothing to defend myself but a knife. It won’t be enough so I just stand back.
“There’s more, there’s more!” Arraya repeats.
“WHERE!” Yuri shouts over his fire.
The soldier start to scream in pain as something is attacking them in the dark. I look at the fallen flashlight that Yuri had drop. I quickly run to it, picking it up. I then shine the light and I’m nearly startled by the sight of the troops being mauled by the flesh eating horde.
“Cyler!”
Chris suddenly grabs me and Alex as we run towards the abandon buildings. Adrenaline starts to course through my veins and I wouldn’t dare to look back. The pill Isaac handed out isn’t working. I’m actually running for my life, nothing but fear takes over.
We run pass the similar trees, finally making it out of the woods. I notice we are in some sort of playground as we wait for the others. The tall grass nearly covered the swings. I turn around and it’s Carter, Arraya and Vera right behind us.
“Where are the others?”
“They’re still back there.” Arraya cries.
“We have to keep moving” Chris orders.
We head towards one of the buildings. Chris tries to open the door but its lock. He looks over at Arraya and nods. With one kick, the old dusty door knocks over. The place smells like rotting corpse. I shine the light around the abandon room and the walls has mold covering every inch of the place. We carefully step around the broken glass as we try to get around.
“Here these will protect you from radiation” Chris hands each of us a small needle shot.
We all walk behind the front desk as we hear growling. I quickly inject myself as Chris suddenly takes out a pistol. He holds the weapon out hoping someone would take it.
“Who’s good with their hands?”
“Me!” says Vera.
She quickly takes the gun from Chris and peeks out.
“THERE AT THE PLAYGROUND” Arraya whispers.
“How many are there?” says Chris.
“Eleven I think….,” Arraya breathes heavily.
I quickly shine the light on her and she has blood running down her nose. I remember back when I saw Kala on her mission. Just like Kala, Array has reached her limits.
“Arraya!?” Carter shakes his sister.
“I’m okay” Arraya’s eyes turn back to brown.
“You can’t use your vision anymore can you?”
“No I don’t think so.”
We all look at Chris who is the more experienced than the rest of us. Even though he’s in charge his eyes gives a
way his weakness. He takes out his the holographic screen he had picked up during the ambush. It trembles in his hands as he scrolls down the tab.
“What are you doing?” Alex ask.
“You’re calling in another Redeemed?” I ask.
“Weapon Rylan is Activated and will be landing to your location shortly,” the computerize voice says.
We wait for a few minutes and Carter suddenly starts to grunt. I shine the light at him and his face is covered in moist, his eyes are red, and he’s breathing faster than normal.
“Carter?” Arraya reaches out.
I shine the flashlight to his shoulder. “He’s bleeding!” Array shouts.
“Was Carter scratched during the attack?” Vera ask.
“Carter what happened?” Everyone crowds around him.
“I don’t know. It was too dark,” he says.
“Let me take a look” says Chris.
I notice it’s a deep cut and the blood is just coming out like water. Chris quickly tears Carter’s sleeve off and wraps the wound. “I’m not sure if it’s a infected with the Cyler virus,” Chris says.
“Why can ‘the chopper just land here?” Vera panics.
“Look around, the buildings are way too close to each other.”
“Just go without me. I’ll only slow you guys down,” Carter grunts.
“No we are not leaving you!” I shout. The words came out louder than I expect it to.
“Why do you even care?”
“Why wouldn’t I? We been through a lot and you’re still my friend. I can never leave a friend to die. I’ll carry you myself if I have too but I’m not letting you give up that easy,” I say.
“Hazer is right I’m not going to leave my only brother,” Array grabs Carter’s hands with reassurance.
“Look Hazer, I’m sorry man I just…”