“You heard me Cypher, Ranton’s gone to ground. The bastard left the doors to Sceleratus wide open, forcing us to handle The Doasians on our own.”

“Fuck”

“Yes! We’re Fucked, but I’d like you to get your ass here, to UNFUCK US, pronto!”

“Reading you loud and clear.”

“Good, Stryme told me you went snooping around the Doasians camp, you learned anything?”

“I did, but I’ll save that for when I get inside. Did you hear anything regarding Dr Efroniz?”

“I haven’t, he’s probably in the sub-basement with Ranton.

“Perfect.”

I silenced myself for a few seconds, thinking about how the fuck I would get Stryme by the blockade and into Sceleratus, UNHARMED. I could cross the field on my own, but Stryme? His feet were as clumsy as an elephant. “Cypher, Can you get to us or not?” Eltessa asked as if she read my mind.

“I can…”

“I sense a but.”

“You sensed correctly. I’m worried about getting Stryme across, as we both know, he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.”

“Not by a long shot either,” Eltessa grunted, forcing a chuckle from me.

“Stryme you game?”

“Not really.”

“Suck it up Stryme!” Eltessa snapped.

He didn’t answer, but I felt a little relieved. Eltessa’s voice affected him. I could see it in his eyes. The defiance that he exuberated towards me was but a whistle in the wind when Eltessa spoke, and a chirp I was glad to hear, especially right now.

Eltessa was a professional, I liked that. The little conversation we had shown me enough. On the other hand, Stryme wasn’t disciplined enough, but it was clear Mr Black held him in high regard, especially his photographic memory.

“How soon can you get to us Cypher?”

“Give me a couple of hours, I’ll let you know when I head out.”

“That’s good for me,” Eltessa said.

“Good, Cypher out.”

◆◆◆

My sneaking crash course went as smooth as a crumpled rock sitting in a rock bed ready to be crushed by a tractor. But hey, this was the best it would turn out to be, so we both needed to get this right or die.

…and unlike Stryme, I had a reason to get back home, with, or without him.

“You ready?” I asked him.

“Not really.”

“Good…no one’s ever ready infiltrating a camp full of hostiles.”

“Right,” Stryme said, eyes dazed.

I went down the ledge first, then shimmied to my left, feet hanging to what little ledge was left. The Moon beamed down on Stryme and me, spraying light like a mist.

The Doasian Camp was busier during the night compared to the day. It was interesting, watching them operate. They didn’t attempt to charge towards Sceleratus. Nor did they try to parley, according to Eltessa.

As the flood beamed throughout their camps, providing real light. It showed every inch of the campsite. It was evident, that we would have to shimmy our way across the ledges of the crevice and hope we didn’t fall to our doom.

I switched to Night Vision, and the world went black and emerald. My HUD showed the difference in height and weight from the men down below.

I turned right, watching Stryme, surprisingly well, but sweating immensely. “Keep chalking your hands,” I hand-signed him. He nodded in response.

The middle tent sat in the middle like a palace, dwarfing the remaining tents. I had crept down before to gather more intel, but the conversation was more so on logistics and anything.

They also brought up the name of that fella Galik. It seems he was late, which made me wonder if Galik’s crew was the one Stryme and I ambushed. At least they weren’t looking for them. I thought, not yet anyway.

We finally made it to the edge of the ledge and began our descent. It was a difficult climb, as we couldn’t use any anchors to secure ourselves on the way down, but thankfully the walls were strong enough to hold our weight and more.

My hands felt each scratch from the stone as we continued down. On occasion, I would look up ensuring Stryme was making his way down. The best part of it though was watching how uncomfortable the bastard was in the Furtiven Suit.

I don’t know what possessed Stryme to bring the second Furtiven Suit, but I was happy he had it on. The holes wouldn’t have stopped the function of the weaves within the Furtiven Suit, but it still meant he couldn’t use it during the day, something I truly wanted to avoid as much as possible.

Eltessa might’ve commandeered Sceleratus, but on the outside, I was helpless as shit. “Careful of that stone to your left, it’s a bit shaky,” I said.

Stryme grunted and I watched as he double-checked his grip, and moved to his right, following the path I took. Good…no problems.

We made it to the ground after forty-five minutes of sweat and sore fingers. We were twenty meters off from the Doasian Camp, which looked like the same amusement park I’d taken Hannah to for her birthday.

The memories of the night flooded my mind, but I forced them away, getting myself back into the game. I nodded to Stryme and we both proned on the sand and slowly made our way to the abandoned village right outside of Sceleratus.

As I looked up, My HUD registered the distance between Sceleratus and me. I was surprised at the 1200M distance, but I was glad nonetheless. Now I just have to plan my way across this village, I mused.

Yes, I understood that remaining inconspicuous from the Federation’s Satellites was the best course of action, but this was the fucking Waste. Anything could happen.

The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I got. I know I was wasting my time thinking of such things, but hell, I just couldn’t help it. I wasn’t in a shitty situation in the situation. Hell, even god knew that.

I lay flat on the sand and slowly began moving forward, crawling, trying my best to remain inconspicuous. On occasion, I’d turn to see how Stryme was faring, and he was doing pretty OK, despite his permanent scowl.

We came across a small corpse, rats, biting the matter from the eye. The rat tilted its head when our eyes met. There was a green sheen about his black fur that made. A feint scent of coolant solvent fluttered into my nose, and before my eyes could blink the rat had scampered off.

I stick my tongue out, ensuring my nose was playing tricks on me. A bitter-ice taste of wind flew into my mouth, watering my tongue. That’s saten coolant, which meant there’s a generator around here. I thought.

Instinctively, I tapped my comm and whispered into it. “Stryme, look out for an opening, just saw a rat. Looks like it was swimming in saten coolant.”

“Saten coolant? There’s no way these bastards would have an Eliqris Generator here, that shit is mad expensive. Hell, it could run for an entire year once the coolant doesn’t run out.”

“I know, but it's as Mr Black said, this is a Black Site Facility, run by the Onesers, meaning, they have the credits and power to build that shit without worry.”

“You think they’re using an Eliqris Generator?” Stryme asked me.

“Yes, it also means not just Robotics Engineering is taking place here.”

“What makes you think that?

“Well, the Doasians aren’t here for fun. I think some whoreshit experimentation is taking place in this pissant facility.”

“You might be right,” Stryme said.

“I’m always right,” I answered.

“Asshole.”

“I’m that too…”

Wind swept across the abandoned plains, where people once lived. A short distance from us has boarded huts and a few sheds, with bullet holes and blood splatters sprayed across the shattered walls.

The wood smelt metallic, despite its aged look. It was like looking into a window of the past, marred with blood and tears. The salt I could taste in the wind made my tongue water once more, which made me force a gulp into my throat.

I wasn’t happy to do so, especially with the bloodstained sand in front of me, but I had no choice in the matter, my throat was dry as this desert, or even worst.

The former ‘village’, which lay on the outskirts of Sceleratus, was split into thirteen rows. Stryme and I passed three and all three had rotted bodies with gaping eyes and spilt sinew spraying across the sand floor.

I watched Stryme’s reaction to the sight, and he showed indifference as if he’d seen such a sight before. Yet you have shit shot eh? I thought to myself, you’re probably just playing a part…but I don’t care.

We sift through a few huts, hoping for a place to rest. After ten minutes of zigzagging, we eventually found one with no dead bodies inside and took a break.

I pushed my back up against the wall, whilst Stryme sat next to a broken stool, split from a bullet. “Fifteen, then we’re on the move again,” I whispered. Stryme nodded sitting back relief washing over his face. I pulled my wolfskin pouch from my haversack and took three gulps, feeling my throat relish the soothing sensation.

The cold wind puffed from my lips, as I sighed in relief from the water, but also a reminder of how brutally cold the desert could be at night. “Eltessa, you there?”

“Yes Cypher, I’m at the spot you picked out.”

“Southside?”

“Yes.”

“Good, We’re on our way. Just taking a break.”

“Why?”

“Stryme’s struggling to keep up.”

I don’t know if Eltessa ground her teeth on the other side of the comm, but it sure as hell felt that way. “I see. Stryme, keep up. You know we can’t leave you behind,” Eltessa said.

“I understand.”

“You see anything unusual Cypher?” Eltessa asked.

“Hardly anything,” I said

“Weird.”

“Why’s that?”

“Doasians are known for their guerrilla warfare tactics. I half expected them to bait you out of Sceleratus. However, they might be unsure about the facility and are acting cautiously.”

Eltessa chuckled a laugh, then smacked her lips through the comms. “It’s not that they haven’t tried Cypher, but Guerrilla Warfare is based on knowing the terrain.”

“…and they don’t know shit down South,” Stryme grunted.

“True,” Eltessa said.

“If Black knew this shit was going to happen, he would’ve tossed us instead of having me hike Cypher through the waste,” Stryme said

“You’re right.” Eltessa admitted, “but Cypher kept fucking us over without deciding to join us. He should’ve been here months ago. If he had taken the deal at the same time, we wouldn’t be in this shit right now.”

“You’re blaming this bullshit on me?” I huffed.

“Of-fucking-course Cypher!” Stryme hissed. “If you’d just taken the fucking offer of help from Black, Els and I wouldn’t have had to live this shit life for months.”

I fell silent, feeling as though I was being chastised by both sides. To be honest, it wasn’t a feeling, but a fact. Now I understand why Stryme’s so pissed all the time because I didn’t sign up, Eltessa and him were marooned to this detail for months.

My lips curled into a bitter smile and I bit my bottom lip, trying to hold in my annoyance. Black could’ve gotten someone else, I thought in my mind, but pushed it to the back of my throat and kept it in. “I guess, but I’m here now?”

“Along with fucking Doasians Cypher,”

“It could be…”

“Don’t you fucking say it Cypher, don’t you fucking say it!” Stryme snapped.

“…worst”

“You mother fucker!”

Eltessa groaned on the line, and then I heard a click, which meant she’d cut herself off. My head drifted to Stryme, who was to my left. His teeth were bared and I could see the anger flash across his face, matching a melancholy that matched the moon’s light, as light sprayed across his face, showing his anger. “You look like a Wolf,” I said with a laugh, then turned my head, ignoring his frustration.

I picked up the wolfskin water, took five more gulps, and felt fatigue pulse within my body like a drum, arching my back, spine, calves and biceps. I was tired, mentally and physically, but still had a ways to go.

A loud snap groaned into the air, startling Stryme and me. I looked at him, he shook his head mothing “that was me”, leaving me to answer. “It wasn’t me either.”

I switched to Echo-Sight, watching for waves of sounds, rippling through the night, but was only met with the waves of sound, hitting shattered boards of the huts within the abandoned village. The feedback’s not bad this time around. I thought happily, then switched to X-Ray Vision.

Thirty skeletal frames popped up all around me, kneeling and haunched over throughout the huts within close vicinity. Corpses, I thought.

Two skeletal frames moved to my left, forcing me to blink, ensuring I wasn’t seeing anything. I then scanned the entire area, three times, looking at the corpses, but unlike twenty of them, eight still moved. Fuck.

“Eight Doasians are here.” I mouthed to Stryme.

“You. Made. It. Worst.” He mouthed back.

I ignored him.

“Eltessa,” I said softly through the comm. “Bad news, Stryme and I are surrounded.”

“Are you shitting me Cypher?”

“I feel like shitting, but I’m confident you aren’t going to shit on my account.”

“Enough with the bullshit wordplay Cypher.”

“No wordplay, but lots of bullshit, eight to be precise. I need you to light up where the grenade goes off.”

“What?”

“You heard me, light it to fuck up!”

I snapped right, pulling my grenade free, watching as Stryme, holstered his Assault Rifle to his shoulder aiming to my left. At least he’s smart on the uptake.

I twisted the crown of the grenade, feeling the third click, then threw the grenade about twenty feet to my left, aimed directly in the general direction of the two Doasians.