“The alien was taken to a secret underground facility about two hundred kilometers from here. All we know is what we’ve gleaned from an intercepted call for help from the only survivor of the five-man team of Russian soldiers that went inside. It isn’t much. It seems that a black creature able to reform into different species is running loose and has probably killed everyone that worked there. Our mission is to enter, seek out the creature and destroy it. Failing that, we will destroy the facility to prevent it from escaping.”
“And you need me, why?” asked Richard. “You know I’m not a team player and will do anything to ensure I survive, even if that means sacrificing some of you. Yet you still want me on your team. It makes no sense.”
“I guess it’s a case of better the devil you know,” answered Colbert. “You have encountered more of these alien creatures and survived than anyone else on the planet, which makes you an expert. I and some of my men were chosen for this mission based on our experiences with the alien creatures, and I believe your unique brand of self-preservation strategy may enable us all to successfully complete the mission with minimum loss of life.”
It was Richard’s turn to snort. “Good luck with that.” He glanced around at the men staring at him. “From my experiences with alien creatures, you are all dead men walking. You should blow it up with one of your big bombs instead of all this foolhardy nonsense, which I assure you will not end well.”
“Remember, Richard, it’s only one creature,” said Colbert. “You, and some of us, faced much worse.”
Richard wasn’t convinced. “Do I get a weapon this time?”
Colbert grinned. “What do you think?”
Richard shrugged.
“In case you need to scream for help, I’ll introduce you my team,” said Colbert.
Richard rolled his eyes.
“You, Ramirez and Sullivan are old buddies, so no intro needed. At the end there is Mason, then Buckner and opposite you, Dalton.”
Richard looked at each man in turn. There wasn’t a smile amongst them. However the mission turned out, it wasn’t going to be fun. He gazed out at the tundra passing below while he wondered if he would survive his third encounter with the spaceship’s alien monstrosities.
CHAPTER 16
Ingress
Peering through binoculars, Mason scanned Checkpoint Siberia 3’s compound and swept them up to the top of the lookout tower. He focused on the man training his gaze upon the secret facility half a kilometer away. The Russian lookout had to be Sven Kulikov, the soldier who had called for help earlier. After he had scanned the area a second time and spotted no evidence of anyone else present, Mason headed closer.
Though Mason was confident from Sven’s intercepted conversation with his superior that the Russian was alone, his comrades killed when they entered the underground base, it had taken SEAL Team 5 a little over eleven hours to get here. Aware of the other checkpoints stretched along the road that may have sent soldiers to reinforce Sven’s soldier-depleted post, Mason switched his gaze back and forth from the door of the hut that light shone from and the sentry in the tower.
Mason moved past the simple road barrier and took position in the covered garage. He glanced at the twin set of tyre tracks that led out and stretched along the road, evidence the truck that had taken Sven’s comrades to their deaths was once stored here. He lifted the edge of the thermal cover to discover a motorbike beneath. It looked old but well maintained. He moved to the edge of the building to observe the sentry. Climbing the tower without being detected by the Russian wasn’t possible. Though he could easily pick off Sven with his rifle from here, their orders were clear; unless it was unavoidable, they were to avoid killing any Russians.
His eyes flicked to the latrine and back to Sven. However, the clock was ticking away the limited time they had to complete the mission before reinforcements arrived. If Sven didn’t come down for a piss or visit the hut to get warm or eat soon, he’d have no option but to take him out.
Sven shivered against the cold that somehow found its way under his layers of clothing to crawl across his skin and suck the warmth from his body. He paced around the small exposed platform in an attempt to reinstate some warmth into his body, but again it failed to chase away the chill that seemed to have seeped into his bones. He glanced down at the inviting light seeping from the windows of the hut and then at the smoke the icy breeze whipped away as soon as it drifted from the confines of the flue. Sven pictured the coal fire at its base and the promise of warmth it offered.
Sven placed the binoculars to his eyes and again focused on the facility’s entrance. It hadn’t changed. No activity and no evidence to tell anything had passed through it. He had retired to his bed when darkness fell, bringing with it a drastic drop in temperature, but thoughts of the creature attacking him while he slept had caused him a restless night. He glanced at the moody sky. Gray clouds blocking the sunlight would make for another typical day on the Siberian tundra, cold and gloomy, matching his mood.
Convinced whatever the thing was that had killed his comrades wasn’t about to venture forth into the cold, Sven decided to wait a few more minutes before he climbed down the tower to get warm and fix himself something to eat.
Mason glanced at his watch. Their twelve-hour deadline to complete the mission was ticking away. He couldn’t wait any longer. He raised his rifle and aimed at the sentry’s head. As his finger pressured the trigger, the Russian moved to the ladder and began climbing down. Mason lowered the weapon, moved back a few steps so he wouldn’t be seen, and waited.
When Sven reached for the hut’s door handle, he gasped at something cold pressed against his neck.
“Remain calm, do as I say, and you will live,” ordered Mason firmly but quietly in Russian. “Try anything, or disobey me, and you will die. Understand?”
Sven nodded.
“Is anyone else inside?”
Sven shook his head.
“Open it.”
Sven turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Keeping his Sig Sauer P226 pistol pressed against the man’s skin and using Sven’s body as a shield, Mason peered into the gloomy interior as he disarmed the Russian. He prodded the man inside and swept his gaze around the room. Keeping Sven between himself and anyone who might suddenly appear, Mason crossed to the only other door and searched the bunkroom. Satisfied they were alone, he shut the bunkroom door, and herded Sven over to the table, the evidence of an interrupted card game spread across its top. “Sit.”
Wondering why the American soldier was here and if he was about to die, Sven sat and anxiously watched the American move to the other side of the table, the weapon aimed at him never moving from his chest.
Mason sat across from the Russian and stared into the man’s eyes when he spoke to him in Russian. “Now, Sven, I am going to ask you a few questions. Some I already know the answer to, so don’t lie or I will cause you pain.”
Surprised the man knew his name and worried he might be tortured if he resisted, Sven nodded anxiously. “I will tell you truth.”
“Good. Are there any soldiers in the facility?”
Sven shook his head. “Nyet. All dead.”
“What about the people that work there?”
Sven shrugged and answered in English. “I think also all dead.”
“Good, you speak English. We know reinforcements are coming, but do you know when they will arrive?”