015: Underworld III

Leonid

Got him in a hole.  Short tunnel lined with candles, arches ahead and on the right.  Irish has moved up behind me in the rush.  Cap tells Doc to take up rear guard.  Forward. 

Another fucking wire across the right archway through a ring and off to the far arch.  I risk a quick peek.  There's a tapestry hanging across the just a few feet in.  I gesture at Cap and she starts extinguishing candles.  Glad she's following my lead.  Once done I'll not silhouette on the tapestry.  I cross, stepping over the wire to check the trap. 

No grenade soupcan.  He's got a homemade ballista sitting on a MG tripod.  Screw this.  Irish is clear.  I pull the wire.  The bolt richochettes off the wall and through the tapestry.  I half expect a hail of bullets to answer it.  I am disappointed.

Back to the wall, I slide to the tapestry.  AKR ready, I snag the far corner and lift it away, no wires.  Push through into a small room.  Crates stacked against either wall and the smell of human waste from a chamberpot.  Another old rug hangs to my front.  Irish and I flank the tapestry.  He's back to the wall and I repeat my trick.  No wire, but light flickers ahead. 

I give him one last chance.  "I have grenade.  Come out, hand high or Mr. Grenade comes in."

Old Sergeant Walczak nods.  If the grenade misses the sump he'll take it.  For the Lady.

"Leo, no..." starts Cap.  A little late, or I'm a little deaf, I roll it under the rug.  It rolls across stone and makes a strange clink before detonating.  I forget, underground everything is tight, the blast bounces around the corridor and room. 

Deaf and half stunned I push forward.  One step through the tapestry and the floor is gone.  I manage a hopping jump and clear a two foot gap in the floor.  Sharp, twisted rebar lines the bottom of his grenade sump.  Steady and swing the AKR around.

Dead paras, weapons at port arms, stare at me with empty sockets.  Taunt grins on sunken faces.  In the flickering candlelight they begin to move.  I socket the AKR to my shoulder, take the right under fire, once, two, three.  Heads snap back and the entire line jerks into violent motion. 

One's in the room.  Pistol out, almost touching as he targets my men, and one to the head.  Still up, step and knife to the gut.  Push him back into the spikes.

Donald

I shake the fog from my head.  Leo hard charges forward.  I rip the tapestry down as muffled shots push throught the ringing in my ears.  Rifle up, engage left.  Zombies!  One tearing into Leo, others rushing forward in the light.  Ahhhh!  I scream and stagger back into the Captain.  "They're coming!"

Leo's pushed back and I meet the snarling face of the ghoul we've been hunting.  Blood's on his mouth and he's coming for me next.  I lock the trigger back.  Three rounds into Leo's back.

Bastard isn't down, he catches the frame.  Pulls himself into me.  His gun's caught between us and I grab it.

My rifle flies away and Captain Paterson wraps her arms around my torso and dead lifts me off my feet.  The room swirles as she turns and puts me into the corner.  I curl and cradle my head.  "Sorry, sorry, sorry."

He shoves the rifle out.  So strong!  It comes right out of my hands as he snatches it back in.  Muzzle flash. 

He's down on his back.  The men gather round.  Tell him to hold on.  The Lady?  The Lady?  She's safe they say.  Old Sergeant Walczak's haloed by darkness.  There's a picture in his hand.  Wha?  Yes, that's Julian.  Julian's coming.  Good, he'll watch her while I get some sleep.

"Doc!"