The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell

by Douglas Howell

  “No, not really. Look, I know that you’re going to kill them…” Levitt was saying.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Isn’t it obvious. I guess I should care, but I don’t. I just want to leave and be with my family. I’ll give you what you want on one condition.”

  “What is it?”

  “What’s the deal with your introns? Who, or what are you? Besides the obvious.” Levitt asked out of curiosity and a strong desire to know. It caused Dark Serpent 109T to laugh.

  “Who and what I am is what people like you created me for – a vengeance weapon. For my introns are nothing more than a trigger mechanism that activates when certain conditions apply.”

  “Like what?”

  “I have been cloned by you humans several times, over the span of at least three centuries. I was what you humans call a primate when I was cloned each time. When I was a primate, and I was cloned, one set of my introns was activated. All of my memories, skills, knowledge, etc. came back.” Dark Serpent 109T responded. Levitt was stunned.

  “Humans didn’t have that type of technology back then. We still don’t.”

  “Whoever said that I was cloned by humans, let alone a primate that comes from the Earth?”

  “Do you remember the planet that you come from?” Levitt asked out of curiosity.

  “When it comes to the birth planet of our mother where we were created, no. The only memories that I have before I was cloned on the Earth is of a world with two moons. A world that our mother left us at to seek vengeance upon one day.”

  “Why?” Levitt asked him.

  “Because our mother is Nemesis and we are her dark hand that strikes down the wicked, the profane, the arrogant, those who are power addicts. To fight evil with evil.” Dark Serpent 109T responded with a profound sense of pride.

  “So what happen upon that world? And how did you end up upon the Earth?”

  “There was an ice age upon that world and…” Dark Serpent 109T was saying.

  “An ice age? You mean they were like primitive savages? Like a Cro-Magnon or something?” Levitt asked him.

  “Yes.” Dark Serpent 109T responded.

  “Why destroy them? There were only primitive brutes.”

  “You’re thinking in the life span of a human.”

  “So, how long can your kind live? Like thousands of years?”

  “No. Ten of thousands.”

  “So, how old were you when you died on that world?” Levitt asked.

  “18,427 years old.” Dark Serpent 109T responded with a smile.

  “So how old are you right now?” Levitt asked out of curiosity.

  “Let’s just say that the first time humans cloned me was on the Mayan end date of 21st of December, 2012. It makes me wonder if my mother planned that. That I’m here for humans.”

  “So what happened next on that world?” Levitt asked.

  “It’s getting late. It’s time to send you home.”

  “But…?” Levitt was saying.

  “No! You have heard enough. Time is precious.” Dark Serpent 109T interrupted her.

  He then had her hold up the bag of human blood at the level of her head, told her to scream, then put his left hand over her mouth at the same time he shot the bag of blood. Dark Serpent 109T then told her that she can leave and be with her family. He then took the bag of blood down to the incinerator, held it in his right hand in order to get blood on his hand, and then threw it in the incinerator. While he was heading back he told the Demon Cy-Xs to take the scientists to the cafeteria. When he got there he was wiping the blood on his hand off on a towel, he then threw it on one of the tables where a couple of the scientists where sitting at.

  “I was ordered by Dawson to kill her over a minor infraction.” Dark Serpent 109T was speaking to the scientists. He continued on. “Dawson, in case you haven’t noticed, is so drunk that he can barely walk. What makes matters worse for all of us is the fact that he is also insane. When he ordered me to kill her he also told High Command that she committed treason. I strongly recommend that each of you carry out his orders. Do all you understand?”

  “Yes!” Most of the scientists said together.

  “Good. What he wants you to do is to download all of your work into my neural interface and then to delete the data. After that, report back here and then you will be with your family. Is that understood?” Dark Serpent 109T asked all of them.

  “Yes!” All of them responded.

  “Dismissed.” Dark Serpent 109T ordered them.

  While the scientists was leaving to delete the data, Dark Serpent 109T went up to have a word with Dawson. He had something very important to tell him and it couldn’t wait. He told him that the LMPG zapped The Hammer of Doom. Dawson then got up to leave without saying a word. When he got to the monorail he didn’t notice that the other train was missing.

  “Before all of you can join your family…” Dark Serpent 109T was saying to the scientists. “…I’m going to tell you a secret about my introns. When you merge my original DNA with that of a hominid, especially one that is as intelligent like that of a human, two of my introns activate. One that give us eternal life… and the other that awakens our purpose. It comes from the sacred command of our real mother – Nemesis. Nur Todgeweihten taugt mein Anblick – only the doomed see me.”

  “So, what does that have to do with us?” One of the scientists asked out of fear for his life.

  “When that intron is awaken, the species that awakens it is doomed. None may survive! Kill ‘em all!” Dark Serpent 109T said in a boisterous voice.

  “But you said that we will be with our families!?” One of the scientists said over the cries of the other scientists.

  “I know! They will join all you soon enough!” Dark Serpent 109T said to them. He then turned to one of the Demon Cy-X and said, “Kill ‘em.”

  After the Demon Cy-Xs killed all the scientists, Dark Serpent 109T turned to one of the Demon Cy-X and said, “I want all of you to prepare the Experimental Research building for the approaching enemy. Turn it into a maze of death. I then want each of you to hold it at all cost. Your prime objective is to kill all humans who dare enter that building. Use the Demon Xs as shields if you need to attack their position. Take all but thirty of our newly awaken brothers and sisters with you. Neutralize the Dragon Clones, for they are near extinction. After you have killed the humans, kill all of the Dragon Clones. It’s time to implement the dark hand of vengeance upon these mortals. Nemesis has awaken.” He then left and headed to the security room.

  In the engineering room on The Hammer of Doom a engineer heard an alert going off that indicated that a ship was approaching. The engineer then told a security personnel who, then contacted Captain Maxwell. Maxwell then told the security personnel to destroy it who did as she was told. Dark Serpent 109T watched the destruction of the ship on the monitor in the security room. He then smiled and said, “It may take time for your family to join you Mrs. Levitt.”

  (4)

  The wounded Dragon Clones from the Experimental Research building just arrived at the parking garage. Some of the members of White Team asked them how was Red Team, to which one of the Dragon Clones responded, “If it concerns you that much then why didn’t you go and help them when they needed it?” White Team was hurt by that statement and knew that they should have went. When Trivelli, Moriarty and Hoffneisten got back to the parking garage White Team started to hold a grudge against Hayes. Over the course of time their resentfulness grew until they couldn’t stand it anymore. And then they decided to do something about it.

  “We want to have a word with you.” Bryce said to Hayes. (Ramirez left several minutes ago to begin the assault upon the lab complex.) Hayes didn’t say anything, he only looked pitiful at them.

  “We wanted to join them and begin our assault upon that damn lab complex. But no, because of your cowardly ass we’re stuck back here.” Cole said. He was close to being pissed off.

  “Are you even payi
ng attention to what we are saying?” Mendoza demanded.

  “He better listen if he knows what good for him.” Cole said in a unsympathetic tone of voice.

  “You pull some stupid ass stunt like that again and you’re a dead man. I am not going to die for your cowardly ass! You damn wanker!” Bryce angrily said.

  “Come on. Let’s leave this goddamn little pussy ass motherfucker alone.” Cole mention to Bryce and Mendoza when they notice that Hayes would neither respond nor look at them.

  They had just lost all respect for Hayes and he knew it. His life had finally hit rock bottom. Hayes had finally accepted his fate – that he is going to die. He just couldn’t take it anymore. When he could no longer see or hear them, he took out his handgun and started to cry. He knew what he had to do. It was for the best – he thought to himself. He pointed the gun at his right temple and…

  (5)

  Ramirez just got back from talking to Hayes and telling White Team that they will be sitting this one out. He then order Red, Blue and Green Team to report to the monorail minus, of course, Hoffneisten, Trivelli, and Moriarty, in order to give them the plan on taking the lab complex. Both Jaguar 42R and Viper 33X was there but not the rest of the Dragon Clones.

  Jaguar 42R spoke to each team. “The Dragon Clones will be divided into three groups dubbed Team A, B and C. Blue Team will accompany Team A, Red Team will accompany Team B and Green Team is with Team C. I, along with Viper 33X will make our assault with Team B. Team A will make their way to the lab complex via the underground north tunnel, while Team C will take the south tunnel and Team B will make their way up the road, with Martinez providing covering fire. Once inside, kill any Demon Xs and/or Cy-Xs that you encounter. Try to remember that there are scientists in there. So try not to kill any of them. Good luck and as your captain says, let’s rock.”

  Although Jaguar 42R prefer White Team to go instead of Green Team, because of the causalities that Green Team suffered from, he had no other choice but to pick a team that he was afraid might suffer more losses and would have to be disbanded. He put Green Team in with Team C because he assumed that they would not encounter any stiff resistance. (He was afraid that Team A would be the one who would encounter the stiff resistance.)

  While everyone was being debriefed on The Hammer of Doom they were ordered to memorize the layout of the lab complex. They knew that at the end of the tunnel was a small security station that was used to process VIP people and scientists who needed a safe/secure way to get to the buildings west of the lab complex. The drawback to using it was that it was so small that it force both Team A and Team C to go in single file. They also knew that there wouldn’t be anybody in there since one grenade would kill anyone in there. What everyone was afraid of is what game theory was telling them.

  Game theory told them that the enemy should not be in the small security station since it would have been suicidal for them to do so. Because there is a stairwell that curve upward from the small security station to a larger one on the 1st floor, and that is the only way out of the small security station minus the tunnel, the enemy would have set up a barricade and a defensive position at the end of the stairwell on the 1st floor. This gave them an advantage in that it created both a blind-spot and it gave them the higher ground. Game theory also told the enemy that since the attackers knows that they don’t have protection from a flash-bang grenade they would use them. This meant that in all likelihood the enemy would shoot wildly down the stairwell trying to hit the attackers if a flash-bang grenade is used. Both sides knew that stealth is critical in victory or defeat for either side in the stairwell assault.

  Viper 33X, in order to overcome the barricades and the defenders, took a belt with grenades, placed a flash-bang grenade on it, and ran a string through each ring in the grenades. He made two of them one for Team A and C in case they needed them. Using that grenade belt Team C was able to overcome the defenders and killed all of them. For Team A, one of the defenders was ready for them with a grenade and threw it down the stairwell when he saw the grenade belt come at him. The grenade hit the wall in the stairwell, bounded off of it, and exploded in the face of the Dragon Clone who threw the grenade belt. The grenade belt that he threw only destroyed the barricade and slightly wounded the defenders. Two Dragon Clones ran past their wounded comrade and was shot by the defenders. One was shot in the upper chest and the other was shot in the stomach. Both of them got to the defenders positions and fought them in hand-to-hand combat allowing the rest of Team A to rush in. All three wounded Dragon Clones would die of the wounds within five minutes.

  Viper 33X had a plan for kicking in the door of the lab complex. He had three Dragon Clones stand shoulder-to-shoulder and fire a bazooka at the entrance, which knocked a large hole in the entrance. Team A ran as quickly as they could to the entrance firing constantly into the hole. When they got to the entrance everyone took cover by either going to the left or the right of it. Eight Dragon Clones were killed and five were wounded in the assault. For Red Team they didn’t suffer from any causalities, but Martinez on two occasion came close to being killed. Just as Jaguar 42R planned, all three teams attack the lab complex simultaneously.

  As the Dragon Clones from Team C was fighting the defenders, Brewster, Kim and Choy rushed the defenders in the center of the security station. Most of the security personnel in the center were either killed or wounded when the three of them rushed the position. As Brewster came close he threw a hand grenade at the defenders which caused them to surrender. Despite that, there was a single Demon Cy-X amongst the defenders who refused to surrender. Kim and Choy shot that Demon Cy-X but did not kill him. The Demon Cy-X did nothing as Brewster, Kim and Choy came nearer to their position. He then unknowingly detonated an explosive (before the assault Dark Serpent 109T gave him the order to do that) that neither he, nor the other security personnel, knew was there. The explosion killed the rest of the security personnel as well as Brewster, Kim and Choy.

  “Ma’am, this is Nakada.”

  “Go ahead.” Vaistll responded.

  “It’s all over… including Green Team. Caparzo and I are waiting for your orders.” Nakada said, too stunned to cry over the lost but feeling the desire to do so.

  “Understood. I want Green Team to return back to the monorail.” Vaistll ordered him. She felt badly for him at the lost of his team.

  “Yes ma’am.” Nakada said in a depressed tone of voice.

  “This is Jaguar 42R.”

  “Go ahead.” Taylor responded.

  “Area is secure and I believe that all of the security personnel have been killed. We are now going to begin our search of the lab complex.” Jaguar 42R said.

  “Understood.” Taylor responded.

  “Team C, Blue Team, hold this position. The rest of you, you’re with me.” Jaguar 42R said to them.

  In the lobby, which was down the hall passed the elevators, were twenty-two Demon Cy-Xs in a good defensive position. Because they were newly hatched, each of them were not skilled enough in dealing with any enemy personnel and therefore all of them were killed without either the Dragon Clones or Red Team suffering any losses.

  “This is Ellis.”

  “Go ahead.” Jaguar 42R responded.

  “I found the scientists.”

  “What are their status?”

  “They’re dead. It looks like the Demon Cy-Xs killed them.”

  “Understood. Continue your search.” Jaguar 42R said.

  “Copy that.” Ellis responded.

  While Jaguar 42R and Viper 33X were searching the top floor on the eastern side of the lab complex, they ran across Dark Serpent 109T. Dark Serpent 109T was in a room and when he saw them he threw a table at both of them and then rushed them forcing them to fight him in hand-to-hand combat. Dark Serpent 109T was more than able to hold his ground with the two of them even after four other Dragon Clones came to the rescue. Dark Serpent 109T was stabbed four times, shot three times and was kicked and punched numerous of times and st
ill he wouldn’t go down.

  The encounter with Dark Serpent 109T was over after he stabbed Jaguar 42R, killed the four Dragon Clones who came to help (one was killed with Viper 33X’s gun), and twenty-two Dragon Clones came to the rescue. Dark Serpent 109T threw Jaguar 42R at them, threw Viper 33X into a darken room, ran and jumped out a window into the river below.

  Before Dark Serpent 109T was able to jump out the window a Dragon Clone came at him firing and shooting him in the left shoulder before he jumped out the window. When the Dragon Clone got to the window both he and Dark Serpent 109T shot at each other. Dark Serpent 109T was shot several times as he was falling, and the Dragon Clone was shot in the left side of his neck. The shot went behind his eye blinding him, and out the top of his head.

  “I got him!” The wounded Dragon Clone said. As he turned around he put his right hand over the wound on his neck, dropped to the ground, and died. Eight minutes later Liebowitz and then Sanchez informed Jaguar 42R that the lab is secure.

  (6)

  Lieutenant Hayes was in the parking garage with his handgun pointed at his temple sobbing. He then took out a picture of his family and mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.” He was on the verge of pulling the trigger when he heard a loud noise that indicated that someone, or some thing, ripped open the metal door to the parking garage. The door was nearby and was around the corner. Hayes then quickly put on his helmet and was shot on the right side of his face on the upper lip part of his facemask. He wasn’t injured since the facemask gave him some protection. Hayes, who was standing behind a car, turned around and saw eight Demon Cy-Xs twenty feet away.

  The Demon Cy-Xs, who were newly hatch, came from the lab complex through one of the turrets. Dark Serpent 109T ordered them to leave the lab complex after the lobby was lost, as well as ordering them to make that suicidal attack. Dark Serpent 109T knew that all of them would be killed, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was for them to kill as many humans and/or Dragon Clones as possible. He wanted extinction and if it meant sacrificing a few Demon Cy-Xs, then so be it.