11. Hazard: Scars

Strider and Bishop fanned out throughout the ruined hills as we searched for any sign that Flux may have escaped the fallen below. Searching alone now quickly moving while alert trying to keep my footing traversing the grainy soil becoming more and more careless as time went on. The air thick with tension instilling anxiety over our comrades fate. Running forward one of the fallen leapt from one of the fractures in the ground alerted no doubt to my stomping around. The wicked grin it bore stretched the webbed flesh over it’s face as it began it’s charge powered by distorted legs. It’s arms lined with disfigured bone breaking through the flesh raised ready to strike. The creature was brought down with two clouds of buckshot leaving it writhing as the gunshot echoed throughout the broken hills.

Stopping only to reload the shotgun cracking it open to eject the shells the dirt from behind crunched with the rhythm to footfalls. Locking the breech without loading the shotgun swinging the butt round to produce a grotesque crunching noise of a skull being fractured. The fallen collapsed it’s jaw dislodged as it fell onto the ground. Recovering immediately as it made contact with the ground I brought my boot down onto it’s head burying it into the dirt. The fallen continued to fight until the fourth strike as it lost most of it’s motor function due the sheer amount of brain damage, the fifth ensured an end to it’s suffering.

My boot still buried in it’s fractured skull breaking open the breech of the shotgun again to reload the weapon sliding in two more shells ready for more should they crawl out from the ground. Locking the breech a shout could be heard coming over the next hill. A terrified voice threatening someone else. Running up the slope in bounds reaching the peak with the shotgun shouldered to see a Crusader with his back to me while he himself shouldered an AK-74 pointed at a member of Cerberus sitting behind an unconscious Flux with a pistol as he continued to cry out in fear.

“Stay back! You’ll kill him if you try take the shot and I could still get a lucky shot past your armor!” The Crusader stood unwavering under the threat. Unafraid he was covered by the layers of armor strapped to his vest and legs evident in his voice as he spoke in rough English.

“You won’t do anything with that. I’ll give ten seconds. You must surrender.” Wild eyed the Cerberus operative spotted me on the hill though he did not give my position away. Instead he strengthened his resolve and rather than surrender placed Flux’s life in immediate peril bringing the pistol to his chin.

“I’ll shoot him. Don’t think I won’t.”

The Crusader stood unmoved by his words more likely directed towards me gambling that I was his friend. Not seeing any other alternative but to eliminate the Crusader I ran as quiety as possible towards him. The shotgun would unlikely do enough to immediately eliminate the soldier and that wouldn’t be enough with him already drawing a bead on Flux. The only option was to tackle him. Running forward quiety trying to manage a silent assault that only Flux would manage on this terrain the Crusader turned his head just outside of arm's reach.

Cursing he brought the assault rifle round with surprising agility the barrel clocking me in the side of the head as he fired barely closing the gap in time. Taking hold of an arm and strap on his chest I threw the man over my back onto the ground disarming him only to realize he’d drawn his pistol mid flip. Firing as I juked to the side narrowly avoiding a fatal shot and kicking the weapon out of his hands I turned drawing the shotgun from it’s resting position on the sling firing the second I faced the other man with his pistol now drawn on me standing over Flux. The cloud of buckshot tore through the side of his arm releasing a cloud of red mist causing him to drop the pistol in the process, a very lucky shot for the both of us.

With the Cerberus operative falling to a knee with a cry of pain the Crusader rose to his feet once more with a knife knocking the shotgun away. With a wild cumbersome slash he exposed himself. Intercepting his blow taking hold of his elbow I delivered a crushing strike into his throat. Gasping for air the Crusader joined the Cerberus operative on the ground overwhelmed by their injuries for the moment at least. Confiscating their weapons I checked on Flux while the two stayed on the ground in sight. Although his breathing was certain it was weak, very weak. Concerned with the condition of my friend I laid him out in a more comfortable position.

Monitoring his vitals for a few minutes proved he was stable at least, he’d live to fight another day. With a sigh I sat down watching the two other men as the Cerberus operative sat up nursing his wound. His facial features were obscured by a helmet integrated gasmask that left only his eyes visible. His suit mostly made from heavy duty fabric made to resist the torture of the zone along with a rubber undersuit only visible at his neck protecting his body.

The Crusader operative helped himself to his feet quickly regardless of the formidable armor he wore. The zealous fury in his eyes shining through his helmet visor as he charged the Cerberus operative to strangle him. Bearing the assault rifle I ordered him to release the man firing a warning shot due to his non-compliance causing him to stumble back shouting.

“This man wants to spread the zone pioneer. Do not interfere with protection.” The Cerberus operative choked out a rebuttal while recovering.

“He would deny us the knowledge we stand to gain. We can better all of mankind.”

Both of the men looked at me to take a shot. With the rifle lowered the Crusader grunted with frustration while the Cerberus operative shook his head disappointed with the lack of a decision. Their war had nothing to do with me or my friends. All I was concerned with at the moment was Flux and returning him back to the camp safely. Throwing him over my shoulders the Crusader eyed off the Cerberus operative in his wounded state. Without their weapons both men were surely doomed and leaving them behind would simply leave them to murder each other in cold blood.

Raising the rifle once more with Flux over my shoulders I indicated for the two men to march. At least bringing them back to the pioneer camp would let them return to their bases respectively. Waving the rifle ahead they followed the direction I gave as they reluctantly walked with me until we made contact with Bishop and Strider. The two took immediate concern to Fluxs state slung limply over my shoulders but were put at ease as he stirred eventually regaining the strength to walk. The long walk back with our two captives brought a great fury from the barman once we arrived back at the camp. Livid with rage that we were simply attracting more attention to an already volatile area the situation was immediately defused by Noah who seemed overjoyed with their arrival.

“I will keep these two fed and sheltered. You four did good work today. Next week I’ll have a real job for you all.”

Noah left as quickly as he arrived to brief the two confused soldiers of opposing factions on his desire to reach his destination. Walking back to the sleeping quarters helping Flux down onto a mattress Strider broke the silence with a question.

“From what you said they were both willing to kill him. Why didn’t you put them down?”

“First one I had to drop with my bare hands. The second got lucky when I shot him.”

“I mean after. Why didn’t you just put them in the ground.” Looking up towards him there was fire in his eyes. Obviously annoyed with the fact I didn’t immediately kill them for putting Flux’s life at risk I gave him the simple motivation for my actions.

“One was trying to survive and the other was just fighting for what he believed in. Flux was simply put in the way by the situation. They didn’t deserve to die if it could be helped.”

“So you risked his life and your own instead? What kind of decision is that? You’d have put a shot in both of them as soon as you had the chance and be done with it usually. How is this different?” With a sigh I looked towards the ground averting his gaze.

“Cause I’m tired of all the indiscriminate killing. Shot too many people in too many battles I couldn’t care less about. I came here to fight for us. If anything tries to hurt any of us I’ll kill it without hesitation don’t worry about that. But if the situation doesn’t demand it I’d like to avoid any more bloodshed, even if it incurs a little more risk.” Strider stood over me fuming, furious with my confession of mercy though no rant followed, only Strider sitting down beside me.

“We all came here for something I guess. With everything we’ve seen so far you must be pretty disappointed.”

“I’m not the reason for all the death and that’s good enough for me. Least you're able to get away from all the bullshit. No more orders. Flux got what he wanted as well just by being here. He was like a man possessed planning to infiltrate the checkpoint.” Looking to Bishop who was happily distracted loading his magazines brought another question to Strider’s mind.

“Now we’re on the topic why the hell did you agree to join us? You seemed pretty content.”

“Eh, was bored.”

“Bored, that’s it. Enough to risk court martial and prison, because you were bored.”

“Yep, bored. Watching the same pile of fucking sand day in day out to the point where you're happy to be shot at just to shake things up. Coming here was definitely worth it.” Strider began running his hands up and down his face.

“For fucks sake… Really? That’s it?”

“Yeah, we didn’t even have internet, power or porn at most of our outposts. How weren’t any of you going batshit insane? Goddamn a month in Iraq I traded out 3 days worth of quality rations for some eye candy-”

“Son of a bitch that was you? You left us to eat like shit for a week and didn’t even share the profit?!” Strider and Bishop continued their argument over whether the rightful ownership of the magazine should have only been Bishop’s or the entire squad earning some strange looks from pioneers in the room. Some already leaving Flux stirred again listening in on the conversation trying to verify the topic.

“Are they arguing over porn right now?”

“Yeeep. Some things never change.”