Chapter 02 - Non Human

Climbing out of the room proved to be not difficult to him at all. Even though his muscles had not been in use for more than 20 years the coffin like bed he slept in ensured that even though he didn’t exercise, didn’t move, he was kept in the condition he entered in.

Stretching into the skies whilst standing upon the room he looks up.

[Satellite Connection Established. No Servers Found. Unable to connect to HQ]

*Time* he thinks

[Unable to Download Time Data]

*Time using the positioning of the sun*

[Time roughly 17:38]

*Date*

[Unable to download Date Data. Weather suggest to be winter.

More Weather Data required.]

*Location*

[Unable to Download Location Data. Shadow Positioning suggest southern hemisphere]

*Nearest base*

[Scanning wide. Topography suggest possible base location to the south]

*Show*

[Mini Map Display activated]

A small map showing contour lines and a few red dots appear showing possible base locations. Seeing that the closes red dot was in the southern areas the man begins to walk towards it. Moving at a moderate pace he sticks to thick cover moving fast in open areas only if he was unable to find a way around them.

Moving through the forest he realises that the forest is weird. Even though he has passed by rivers, lakes, trees and open grass lands there he has not passed by any living creature. No wolves, no lizards, no bugs, no fishes and most of all no birds. The forest he moves through has nothing. Noticing all of this he still opts to move forward as there is nothing else he can do. He must find a base.

Thinking about the strangeness of the situation as he moves the man doesn’t see the sun set and only notices that its night when there is no more light; thus he trips and lands face first into the soft ground.

*Time*

[Approximately 20:47]

Lifting his head the man looks for a place to make camp. He decides to not make a fire as the light from one would be too noticeable from afar.

[Night Vision Activated]

His world turns green through his right eye and moves towards a big looking tree. The first branch is a solid 10 metres from the ground, too high to just jump for. Taking his rope from his pack he ties the pistol to it as for weight. Holding one end of the rope he throws the pistol end over the branch and it drops over to the other side. Retrieving the pistol he climbs the tree.

Reaching the branch he sits upon it and looks around. Truth be told he could just climb higher and sleep on a branch as it offers good cover from below and above (leaves from multiple trees), his military clothing are I.R proof (infrared proof) and thus his body heat except from his head and hands could not be seen.

However, instead of climbing up he spots light in the distance. A dim source of light that he only saw thanks to his night vision capabilities.

*identify*

[Fire]

*Distance*

[Approximately half a click]

*Time*

[Approximately 21:13]

*Leave time display in miniature form*

[Miniature time display activated]

Surveying the trees and branches around him, he begins jumping from branch to branch, ascending at some points then descending at others. Moving towards the fire. It is the first sign of life he has seen all day.

Upon reaching the 100 metres mark he slows his pace to the fire. Practically crawling but in branches he advances up to the fire. At 30 metres away he stops completely and slows his breathing. He looks at the single person at the fire and watches if there is anybody else around.

Not sure whether to advance and speak to the person or retreat and pretend he were never there he lies upon the branch for a while. The time is 22:24. At 22:30 he decides to advance. He needs information.

Dropping down from the branch, he opts to make noise and not to stealthily approach, as he does not want to seem a threat.

[NOT HUMAN]

Hitting the ground on his feet and hands he looks up to see a flash of light rush at him. He rolls to the right and sees a blade fly just pass his head. Looking forward again he sees another light. This time though he brings jumps forward and brings his knife up, barely deflecting it just a bit so that it only scratches his clothes.

Standing on two feet with one knife at the ready he looks at the fire, but the person is gone. Staying still he listens for anything. There is no wind this night so it’s easier to distinguish the sound of movement and sound of thrown objects.

He hears unusual movement at his left so he turns to his right and faces the person that tried to kill him. It’s a woman, orange hair due to the lighting. He stares at her, and she stares right back. With a loud crack from the fire they both jump at each other. She has two knives out whilst he only has one. Both of them move fast, very fast. Knives get thrown, they get deflected, it’s a hit and miss for them both. Soon blood drips from his forearms and cuts run along her face. More blades fly, more blood drips, but no major hits land, only small slices on each other.

[NOT HUMAN]

They both stop again. Blades held up at the ready. He has cuts running along his arms, but all small nothing deep. She has cuts along her arms, legs and face. Again none of them deep. But they both know who’s winning the fight. Even though he only has one knife whilst she has used more than a dozen, He is winning. They both stay silent, He is not aiming to kill as he wants information, and she is doing her best to kill. They stay locked and ready for what seems like hours to them, but in reality is only a few minutes.

“What do you want?”

She breaks the silence first. Thrown of guard at being asked a question he does not reply but holds his knife up, it must be a trick he thinks.

“Why are you here?”

She asks him whilst he examines her

[NOT HUMAN]

Her arms and legs are bleeding faster now. The blood on face is going down her neck. Her eyes seem a bit fuzzy.

[NOT HUMAN]

Lowering his arm he throws his blade at the woman’s feet.

“Information” he states as he judges that he can take her without the use of a knife “And fire” he raises both his hands as a sign of peace.

Not being able to even react to the knife thrown, she is visibly annoyed. “Drop all your weapons”

Knowing that his pistol doesn’t even work he takes it and again throws it at her feet.

“Your Bag!” She orders as her voice changes pitch, making it sound less threatening then she meant it to be.

Walking forward he doesn’t take of the bag.

“Your Bag!” she shouts as he continues to come closer.

“STOP!” she shouts as she moves forward to stab him but is unable to due to the bloodless she’s sustain and instead falls into his arms.

Holding her in his arms, he takes away her knives as easily as plucking flowers from a field.

[NOT HUMAN]

Bringing her to the fire he lays her down and twirls a knife in his hands. He could very easily kill her now, make her pain pass quicker, she was dying anyway; But her could also save her, stop the bleeding.

*When was the last time a non-human spoke to us* he questions his A.I

[Beginning of the war]

*Chances on how we stand against them having changed*

[Based on reaction, highly likely]

*I guess I’ll save her.*

Using the knife he cuts of her clothes, only leaving things that’ll give her some decency of self. Tying what he has around long cuts he stops as much blood flow as possible, primitive if you were to look at it, but good enough that it’ll work.

Moving over to the other side of the fire he takes another look at the woman, she is still conscious, but not really able to think, delirious would be how you would describe her.

[4 new Messages]

[Squad Status Updated]

*Display*

[Good Luck guys. **** 1]

[Ha, the fools at HQ moved all of us **** 2]

[We were better together. **** 3]

[Wished we could’ve worked together one last time. Good luck *****. See you in the next life. **** 4]

[Unit **** 4 Deceased 1 Active]

“You’re crying” the woman states wearily from across the fire.

Bringing his hand to his face and wiping his tears. “Heh, I guess I am” he states closing his eyes and taking a long and deep breath.

“Thank you for not killing me” she whispers falling to sleep.