Expecting an argument, Richard was surprised by the commander’s reply.
Colbert shrugged. “Well, Richard, as you said a short while ago, what’s the point of bringing you here if I’m going to ignore your advice.”
Dalton glared at Richard and looked at Colbert. “We’re taking orders from a civilian now?”
“Believe me, Richard’s not doing this solely for our benefit. He wants to survive and we’re just tagalongs, but if he survives, so should we. Also, his plan has merit.”
Though Richard was far from enthusiastic for any plan that would take him nearer to the alien creature when he favored heading in the opposite direction, the foolhardy SEALs would only leave when they had completed their mission. If helping them increased his chances of survival, then so be it.
“Okay, Richard,” said Dalton. “let’s get this done. You lead.”
Richard slung the bag of explosives over his shoulder and headed for the laboratories and the alien birthing chamber.
As Sullivan aided his limping commander to the elevator, Ramirez made contact.
CHAPTER 21
Hostage
Fearing the nuclear bomb had exploded when what could only be an explosion set off on a lower level shook the complex, Krisztina halted in the corridor to await her annihilation. When all fell still, silent, and she remained alive and the building around her intact, she knew the atomic bomb hadn’t been the cause. Distracted by voices, she cocked an ear at the security office a short distance ahead.
Ramirez was alerted to the explosion erupting from below by the muffled boom and the shockwave that rippled through the complex, vibrating the floor, the cameras feeding the screens and the CCTV monitors. After a few minutes of no contact, concern for his team creased his brow as he pressed a hand to his radio. “Is everything okay down there?”
It was a few anxious moments before he received a no-nonsense reply from Sullivan. “Buckner and Kessler are down, killed by the alien. Explosion seems to have killed one creature, but there’s more. Commander and Dalton wounded. Heading for the elevator. I’ll update you when we reach the first aid station. What’s the situation up there?”
“No activity yet,” replied Ramirez. “Shall I rendezvous with you at the first aid station?”
“No, stay on watch for now. We’ll join you shortly.”
Ramirez’s gaze flicked to one of the screens when he thought he glimpsed movement. It was a view of the corridor outside the security room. Though the corridor was empty, Sullivan had just informed him there were more than one of the aliens roaming the facility. Worried one might be creeping up on him, he grabbed his rifle and moved to the door. Cautiously he peered out. Surprise barely had time to register on his face before the female lunged at him. The fire extinguisher she wielded smashed into the side of his head. Dazed by the hard blow, his knees buckled.
The extinguisher clanged to the floor when Krisztina dropped it and snatched the assault rifle from the dazed American soldier’s hands.
As the bright pricks of lights dancing before his eyes began to fade, Ramirez turned his throbbing head to his attacker. He groaned at seeing his own weapon aimed at him by the female, who he assumed was one of the Russian scientists working in the facility. When the other SEALs heard of this, they would rib him about it for years to come.
“My Russian not good. Do English speak you?” asked Ramirez in terrible Russian.
Surprised the American spoke any Russian, however badly—in her experience the Americans, like the English, were language lazy and expected everyone else to learn their universal language—Krisztina nodded. “What you Americans soldiers doing here and where my comrades are?”
“We received a report that you had an alien creature running loose killing those who worked here, which I expect explains the fate of your co-workers. My superiors feared that if it escaped into the outside world, it would pose a serious threat to humanity. They sent us here to ensure that didn’t happen. And we’re Navy SEALs, not soldiers.”
Krisztina shrugged. “Soldiers, Marines, is all same.”
Ramirez reluctantly let her comment slide.
Suspicion clouded Krisztina’s next question, “Are you here to kill alien, or capture it and take back to America?”
“Destroy it. Most definitely destroy it!” stated Ramirez firmly. “Unlike your Russian superiors who brought it here from Antarctica to study, we can see the danger the alien threatens to mankind and want to see it annihilated.”
“You can cast your accusations elsewhere because, as far as I aware, we not responsible for bringing alien here. How it got into facility from Antarctica is much a mystery to us as is you.”
“Well, I don’t suppose that really matters now. Can I stand?”
Krisztina nodded and taking a step back watched him climb groggily to his feet.
Ramirez gently probed the painful swelling on his head and glanced at the discarded extinguisher. “You sure packed a wallop with that thing. I’m surprised you didn’t crack my skull, and I’m not entirely sure you haven’t.”
“I not think tickling you under chin with it would have same effect,” quipped Krisztina, “and you trespasser here. I defend Russian territory.”
“And very well you did, too.” Ramirez pondered grabbing his weapon back, but she was a few steps too far away for it to succeed, especially with her finger resting on the trigger. If she wasn’t experienced with weapons, she gave a healthy impression she might be. “What happens now?”
“How many you are, where are they and what was cause of explosion a moment ago?”
Ramirez saw no reason to hold back. “We were nine until the alien killed two. They tracked the creature to Level 4 and were planting explosives when it attacked. Cause of explosion is as yet unknown, but I think it might have been an attempt to kill the creature. I don’t know how it happened, but there seems to be a few of them now.”
“They can split apart to be separate creatures. I’ve seen it. One chased me up escape ladder.”
“That doesn’t bode well for our survival.”
Krisztina pondered her next move. “I must contact my superiors to let them know what has happened.”
“They already know,” revealed Ramirez. “A team is on its way to capture the alien for study. It’s one of the reasons why we rushed here. It’s suspected they might try to fashion it into a weapon to use against America or other nations.”
It was as Krisztina feared. She agreed with the Americans that the alien menace should be destroyed. God knows what destruction the creature could cause if unleashed into the population. “You believe your explosives will kill every part of all alien creatures?”
Ramirez shrugged. “That’s the plan. Even if the explosions fail to kill it all, it will be trapped below so it won’t present a threat.”
Krisztina shook her head. “No, that won’t work. It can become liquid and seep through smallest gap to find way above ground. I have better way to ensure its demise, a permanent solution.”
“I’m sure the commander will be open to suggestions when he gets here, which shouldn’t be long now.”
Doubtful she would be able to fend off all of the armed Americans heading her way and hesitant to leave until she was certain the alien had been dealt with, Krisztina made a decision that could possibly backfire on her.
“As far as I see, we all want same thing, no? To see the alien creatures dead. To do that, there needs to be trust between us.”
After a few moments of indecision about what she was about to do, she lowered the rifle aimed at Ramirez’s chest and held it out.