Face First (333 hits)
Category: UberMadness! EntryRating: 2 on 3 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kre8rix (View user info) at 2005-07-18 14:58:37 EDT
This post was an official UberMadness! entry. Click here to view the original matchup.
Turner jumped as his radio crackled to life; the small flashlight strapped to his shoulder casting irregular shadows down the squalid, labyrinthine corridor.
"Go ahead, Two," turner mutely replied.
The two teams had been on radio silence for over six hours; after the disappearance of Bravo Team, Turner didn't want to take any chances. In denial at first, Turner now had no doubt that he and his squad were being hunted.
"Sorry to break silence sir," whispered the static reply, "But we've come out of the hallway. There's a room, though I can't tell how big exactly."
"Copy that Two. Hold position and await further instructions. Turner out."
Turner turned toward the remaining member of his team. He looked exhausted, covered in the beige dust that canvassed the ancient stone floor. From his facial expression, he didn't imagine he looked much better.
"Alright Pollack, we're going to regroup with Bravo and get the hell out of here. Stay on my Six; weapons free."
He nodded in understanding.
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"So Mr. Turner, are you and your team interested in our offer?"
Turner stared coolly at the obese man sitting at the ornate oak desk; the most recent in a long line of wealthy men that represented even wealthier men. He was the liaison between the money, and the mercs. Though he hated the term, the English language had yet to invent a better one. Turner and his team had moved into the private sector after retiring from the military; soldiers for hire. Throughout his career, he had struggled to maintain a code of honor. It was never easy; but with less money coming in, it was becoming increasingly difficult. The job presented to him now seemed to be straightforward, but he never fully trusted anyone he worked for.
"I'll have to get back with you. I need to talk to my team first, you understand."
"Of course, and I know I don't need to re-instill the sense of urgency this job requires."
"Not at all, you'll have your answer by this afternoon."
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Turner and Pollack stalked silently through the twisting hallway. They had been walking for what seemed like hours, and not making much progress. Several times, they had crossed over their own footprints in the soft dust on the ground. He didn't say anything to his team, but he also knew he didn't have to.
"Sir?" Pollack whispered from behind him, "How are we going to find Bravo? This place is impossible to navigate."
Turner silenced him with a wave of his hand and kept moving. His frustration was growing with each passing minute, cursing to himself whenever he saw their footsteps on the ground. They came upon an intersection and Turner signaled to stop. He had come across their trail again; but this time, there were a new set of tracks.
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"So, what's the job Cap?" Pollack asked, "'nother slash and burn in the south?"
"Not this time," he replied, "S&R, just south of Egypt."
Turner waved for silence as a communal groan echoed through the room.
"I know I said we wouldn't be going back there, but the pay is almost too good. We haven't exactly had a bunch of offers recently."
"So...What's the job, Cap?"
"From what I understand, a small group of archeologists has gone missing in a newly discovered pyramid. It was uncovered by a sandstorm recently, and apparently they went in unprepared. Now someone is prepared to pay us a lot of money to get them out."
"Seems simple enough. What's the catch?"
"I don't know at this point. I know there's something they're not telling us, but there always is."
The team was silent for a few minutes before Whitlock spoke.
"I'm in,"
"I'm with you sir," Pollack followed.
The rest of the team murmured their consent.
---------
Turner's radio sparked Whitlock's whispered voice.
"Sir, we have movement on the far end of the room,"
The lump in Turner's throat welled up again.
"Can you identify the target?"
"Not...yet," static broke up the reply, "Moving...in"
Several seconds passed before Whitlock spoke again.
"Sir...looks...ours...uniform...think...Abrahms"
"Two, hold position." Turner hissed into his mic, "Do not advance until you see his face first."
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When the team entered the pyramid, they found a huge stone door that stood partially open; a series of hieroglyphs etched across the face. An old, sick draft of air wafted from beyond the entrance, causing the team to freeze in their tracks; a small series of clicks reported from each man's rifle. They were all too familiar with the smell of death, but there was something else in this breeze.
"Easy, team. We're by the book on this."
They exchanged nervous glances and tightened up on their rifles before entering the dark corridor.
----------
Bravo Team was the first to make contact.
"Sir, I think we found something. I think it's a person, but I can't really tell."
"Hold position Three, We'll be there in five."
The gunfire sounded before Turner reached Bravo Team.
"Bravo, report. What the hell is going on in there?"
"Eyes...not human...look ou..." Whitlock's frantic voice cut out.
"Three, report!"
Static
"Whitlock answer me!"
Turner raced down the corridor he had sent Bravo team down moments before. He stopped when he stepped in blood.
"What the hell's going on sir?" Pollack asked, his voice shaking.
Turner knelt in the dirt, only to find blood and shell casings.
"Johnson; recon, now!"
Rifles at the ready, the two advanced further down the tunnel. It didn't take them long to report in.
"Sir, we found a body,"
"Identify,"
"Unknown sir,"
Turner cursed to himself as he stood.
"We're on our way,"
Johnson screamed through the radio before he took two steps. They raced toward their compatriot, and stopped dead when they saw the creature chewing through his stomach.
"What the fu..." Pollack began, catching the attention of the short human like creature.
"Look at its face..."
The thing slowly stood, never taking its eyes off Turner's team. Its eyes illuminated the wall around its face; a fierce red in contrast to the bright white of the team's flashlights. Its blue-grey skin flaked off as it stepped towards them. It spoke threateningly as it advanced; it's gravely, hoarse voice making the language even more unintelligible.
Stetler stepped in front of Turner and raised his rifle. The creature stopped and cocked its head to the side. The skin on its face smoothed over, and began rippling as though it suddenly became liquid. The creature took advantage of his hesitation. Blue-grey tentacles whipped out from the creatures face, instantly piercing Stetler's body. He twitched violently randomly firing round after round as the creature's tentacles visibly coursed through his body. Stetler's body was lifted into the air; the tentacles retracting back to the creature; slowly reforming the body over its skeletal frame.
Turner fell to the ground as he fired, sending several rounds through the creatures exposed ribcage and into the wall behind it. It turned toward Turner, the red eyes glowing brightly.
"Mother fuck..."
One final round to the head and it dropped Stetler to the floor before exploding in a cloud of dust.
Turner crawled quickly to Stetler; still twitching on the ground. He stopped moving as Turner flipped him over; blood flowing slowly from his mouth and eyes. He looked around for Pollack, and found him staring in shock at the body of his dead friend.
"Pollack..."
"Pollack!" Turner shouted, "Wake up!"
Pollack looked slowly from Stetler to Turner, his eyes still glazed over.
"Did you...it..."
Turner stood and walked to Pollack.
"Get it together; we're not out of this yet,"
---------------
Turner and Pollack waited nervously for word from Whitlock. Turner's head dropped as gunfire reported from somewhere in the distance.
"Whitlock?" he whispered into the mic, "Whitlock, do you copy?"
His inquiry was met with nothing but static.
"Whitlock..." he trailed off.
Pollack whipped around as the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed through the hallway; then another, and another.
The two men stood back to back as their flashlights twitched and faded out.
"Remember; try to aim for the face first..." Turner said mutely, the sound of his voice drowned out by the footsteps' echo.
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