Back to the Breach

Juliet was smart to take a few extra days when they got back. "You need to take a vacation from the vacation before heading back to work." That was the advice she followed. It was a smart idea too. She needed time to unpack before heading back. She couldn't leave everything a mess. It also gave her time to change her mindset back into work mode.

Everyone was glad to see her return as well. She was a glue that helped keep everything together. There were plenty of people to help pick up her duties but there was just no one else with that dedication. The office seemed a bit off though. There was a cloud hanging over the place. As though something was missing. It took her a few hours before she figured it out. Hunter and Hanson were gone. It was odd that both of them would be absent at the same time. She knew Hunter had taken time off after their return as well to do the same as she did. Hanson thought he was dedicated to the craft. So to speak.

She found her answer hidden away. Hunter had taped an envelope to the back of his office door with her name on it. This was rather unusual for him. The letter caused her heart to sink as the first thing she noticed was that the whole thing was written by hand. Any official notice was typed and printed on the company letterhead.

Juliet,

By the time you get this, Hanson and I should be out on the job for two days. I didn't tell you simply because the job is dangerous. We've gone to Pripyat on reports of unusual activity in the area and in the nearby Red Forest. It was decided, with a rather hard decision, that this would be a two-man mission.

Hanson and I have the most experience with this area and while neither of us want to go back, the contact was assigned to our office. Instead of placing anyone else in danger, the two of us decided to take it.

We should return in less than a week's time but in case we don't…

I love you, wholeheartedly.

Signed,

Hunter

The paper crumbled in her hands as she gripped it. Her teeth were grit as tight as she could trying to fight back every emotion with the tears. She muttered the only thing that could come to mind, "You stupid. Fucking. Idiot."

It started when the two when their wheels touched down. They grabbed their belongings from the pickup and headed back home. Hunter dropped Juliet off making sure that she got a goodbye kiss. This was a sign of their progress. He wasn't as reserved as showing emotion towards her. She felt like she could be more open with him. But not at work. They still had to be professional about it.

He did his usual routine of making sure that she was inside before driving off himself. He only made it around the corner to get out of sight before calling Hanson, "Have a driver sent to my home. I'll meet them there and come in."

As ordered, there was a car waiting in his driveway. He parked his car to drop off his bag on the couch. No changing clothes, just in and out.

Hanson was waiting at the office. They grabbed their gear and headed out to the airport. The engines were already running. There was no wasting time. There was no time to decompress from the trip. Hunter was back in action from the word go. Their briefing began once the wheels were off the ground.

"My apologies sir for disturbing your vacation." Hanson really did feel awful about it. The instructions he was given were very clear that they were not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. This definitely qualified as an emergency. Hunter started looking over the synapsis of the job with a pained expression. "Radio activity is at an all-time high. All static but across multiple channels. A rise in motion activity in the woods that is not native fauna. That's always pleasant to read. Do we know for a fact what it is?"

Hanson sighed as he tried to say any answer, "Nothing concrete but it's suspected that it's Gho…"

"Nope! Do not finish that word!"

The folder was dropped to the table in front of him while he rubbed his face. "I hate this. I hate all of this. What's the objective this time around? Same as always?"

"Yessir. Find the reason for the increased activity and resolve it by any means."

"Excellent. No one knows anything so we're going in blind. Again!"

He was not pleased with any of this. The entire situation was just garbage piled upon more garbage. He just hoped it didn't turn into a dumpster fire. "OK! No sense dwelling on it. Equipment check. What did we bring?"

"Two M4-CQBR, Holographic sight, flashlight, 300 rounds each. Night vision and thermal HUDs, Geiger counter and dosimetry badges, MREs, basic survival gear, filtration masks with whisper mics, emergency hand flares, and flare gun with 4 shells for marking and extraction. Lastly, 12 M112 demolition blocks set to a high frequency outside of the broadcast range being observed in the area."

"Are we going to sink the whole city?"

"If we have to."

Jokes aside, that was a lot of heavy equipment. The bags were packed in a manner that they could get to anything they needed relatively quickly. Each one would have a detonator on them set to the frequency of the charges. The receiver was off until activated. Each of them carried half of the explosives to even the load along with their own gear. Hunter took the opportunity to change into some more appropriate clothes for this.

Hanson brought along some decommissioned military fatigues with them to help them blend in with the local environment. Underneath the clothes, they had waterproof clothing. The last time they came out here they had to wade through a lot of standing, radiated water. "Local military knows we're going to be in the area and knows not to shoot at us?"

"Yes, anyone in the area has been made aware that the area is off-limits unless we give a signal that assistance is needed."

"Oh? We have the backing of the Ukraine army?"

"No, no we do not. They are tasked with containment. Nothing but us comes out."

Well, that makes sense. No sense in getting anyone who shouldn't be involved, involved. They both knew that mindset. That's why it'll just be the two of them dropping in.

The flight sucked. They landed at an airfield and were hustled into a chopper to be carried to another airfield closer to where they would be dropped off only to jump from one chopper to another. The little bit of sleep they stole on the flight was probably going to be the last bit of comfortable rest they would get for the next few days.

They weren't offered a place to stop and rest. It was right out into the field once the sun started to come up over the horizon. They touched down in the middle of a field outside of the known radiated area. As soon as their boots touched the grass their ride was back in the air. With everything in the air disrupting electronics, they had to do this old school. Map and compass!

They headed northeast until they could start to see the buildings from the abandoned city. This was their first stop. The last chance for them to get a break. Once they crossed that threshold, there was no telling what was waiting for them. They were looking for the usual landmarks. From the Azure Swimming Pool, they would head south towards the Yaniv Train Station. They would be due north from the Red Forest giving them a good place to set up to observe the area.

They just had to be careful of the more popular spots. There were still tours being held in the area. They weren't doing anything wrong, but people tend to freak out when they see heavily armed people in a very controlled area. It could be worse with the weapons they are carrying. Nothing they have is Russian-issued. Two heavily armed Americans may raise an eyebrow.

Most of the activity came at night anyway. There was a steady pattern of radio signals spiking. The day was spent traveling and marking potential areas. Nothing seemed to bring a lot of prospects. Nights were spent hiding in abandoned areas that weren't setting off their equipment. Four-hour shifts before heading out at morning light once again. A couple days of this and they hadn't come up with anything. "I think we're chasing nothing, Hanson. I haven't seen anything, nothing has set off our sensors. I'd like to call it."

"Agreed, sir. But we are required here for a week to investigate the area."

Another day and nothing. Hunter was starting to feel the effects of being in the area. "This place is a nightmare. I'd rather be back in my office."

"I think there is something else on your mind."

Hunter took a pause. "We've been here for, what? Four days?"

"Yessir."

"Hmm, Do you think Juliet found my letter for her?"

"I have no doubt."

Night fell again as the group took shelter in an old apartment. Hunter had the second watch this time. The clouds made it impossible to see anything. He had to resort to using the night vision and thermal. Tonight was the night his worst fear was confirmed. They weren't alone out here.

The motion caught his eye on the night vision. He switched over to the thermal to try and get the shape of what he saw but it was already out of sight. He checked his watch. The time was right around when activity started to spike. He kept his eyes open with the thermal burning into his retinas. It was only a few minutes before something caught his eye again. The shape was easy to make out. It was just a deer wandering around the edge of town.

"Fuck me. I don't need this kind of stress." He went to turn away when that deer made an echoing noise that shook him. Turning back around and the deer was in shambles. Something was on top of it, grabbing and clawing at it. Whatever it was, it didn't look like any of the known wildlife out here. Its arms swung back and forth digging into the body of the animal quickly taking it to the ground, lifeless. It shambled off on all fours in a trotting motion after it was done with its kill.

There was a decision to be made here. Hunter looked back at Hanson as he slept on his pack. He could wake Hanson to report that they might have found what they were looking for or just let it go. Pretend nothing happened and wait out the week. They both get to go home and another group will be called in.

Another group will be called in…

"Dammit. Hanson!" He called out to wake up his partner. Hanson was up within seconds, rifle in hand and alert. "We're hunting!" Hunter racked his round into the chamber showing they weren't here observing anymore. They had a trail now.

The flashlights on their rifles were their guide through the darkness. They moved quickly, checking anything that seemed to move, make a noise, or be suspicious. Hunter led them to the deer he saw get mangled. It was still there and looked to be in bad shape. It had already died but whatever killed it showed serious animosity. It was clawed, bitten, and torn open with shreds of skin and flesh tossed about. Even in the dark, they needed to follow the trail of blood.

The further they got the more unsettling it became. It wasn't just a blood trail of splatters. There were hands and footprints that were clearly defined. They looked deformed but mostly human. It was finally time, "Hanson, I have to admit it. We are chasing ghouls." Hanson already knew. Hunter had to come to terms with it.

Their previous visit was just as eventful. They had found something but were unable to find where it had gone. This time, luck was not on their side but it gave them a trail. They followed it to where they knew it would lead. Two metal doors to a utility building. The doors were chained shut with a hefty lock. It didn't keep the doors completely shut but enough that no one should be able to open them completely.

The trail led them right to it. Hunter looked around for anything more. He found what he hoped he didn't. The blood trailed on the doors with a clear handprint and a set of footprints near the top. Whatever it was crawled its way inside through the small gap it could create.

Hunter held out his hand to Hanson. Neither needed to say anything. Hanson handed him a key. The lock fell off letting the chain follow. The doors opened on their own leading into a small stairwell. Hunter's flashlight lit up the pathway to the bottom where the brown water sat. They both took a deep breath before pulling themselves together. One step at a time they walked down to the muck. "I hoped to never come back here." Hunter dreaded this. "Masks on, we go as quietly as we can."

The pathway was lined with pipes that used to carry some of the city's water. Some had burst draining into the hallway leaving it in the condition it was in. Their counters were clicking as they moved through the water. They had no choice but to deal with it. They had to head to the end this time. Moving quietly wasn't an option. The water created noise every time they moved. They still had to go slow. Hunter hugged the right wall with the pipes while Hanson was on the left. 

They passed some familiar-looking areas. A few outcroppings in the hallway where electrical panels were once sitting. They had rusted out, missing chunks, but served as markers for how far they had gone. Hunter found an old flare they had left behind to burn on top of the first one they crossed.

The hallway continued through the rust. They both came to a stop when a hissing noise echoed down at them. Hanson turned a full 180 degrees to watch behind them while Hunter stayed forward. The noise whimpered off with nothing behind it. They had to continue.

The hallway winds around a slow curve to another junction box marked with another burnt-out flare. Being underground distorts your sense of time. Were they walking for minutes or had they been traveling for an hour or more? This tunnel seemed longer than it was the last time but they kept finding hints that they were here before.

The dead end they ran into last time was no longer a dead end. The concrete had crumbled away showing the dirt behind the wall. And the tunnel that was dug behind it. "Hanson, we're dealing with something new this time."

"Yessir, and we know we need to not just close this off but to collapse it in."

They had to start laying down their explosives as they went into the new tunnel. They flipped the switch on the circuit board and waited until the light turned green showing that it could reach the detonator. Hunter checked his to make sure it was secured to his hip for fast access. They passed through the gateway from the utility building into the unknown. Hanson kept a close eye on their progress.

This trail twisted and turned but Hanson was tracking it. "Sir, we are under the Red Forest." That filled him with confidence… Nothing good could come from this. Hanson kept measuring out the distance signaling when they needed to place another explosive.

The light could only reach so far into this cavern. It started spreading further and further out allowing for more space. The noises continued to echo out. The soil absorbed some of the sound. Anything that dropped forced the two to stop and wait, hindering forward progress. Another explosive is placed down, and the two move on.

Hunter keeps an eye on his watch. Sunrise is coming. If they really are the things he thinks they are, then they won't go out once the sun is up. They have adapted to the dark. Bright lights cause them to recoil in pain.

The small tunnel slowly opened up until it turned into a cave. Whatever lived here worked for years to build this area. The light can't reach far enough to illuminate the other side. It's too dangerous to continue on. They have to work with what they can. With no proper support, they should be able to cave in this whole area if they can disturb the ground enough. They have enough explosives to do just that.

A few of the bricks are armed before they are thrown as deep into the cavern as they can. They hit with a thump against the dirt before sinking into their spot. One throw makes no noise. Did they find a hole in the ground? They both freeze waiting for something. What they got back wasn't what they were expecting. The hiss echoed through the darkness ramping up in intensity. It wasn't just one anymore. The whole tunnel system seemed to come to life with a low hissing that turned into a guttural growling. It became deafening as it shook the soil.

"Hanson!" Hunter shouted! There was no need to say more. They were caught in the den and had to leave. A hand flare popped as the two started darting down the way they came. In an attempt to keep them from pressing too hard on them, the flare was dropped as another was sparked to life. They kept dropping more of them with the hope that the light would keep them back.

At the entrance to this new tunnel, Hunter grabbed three and dropped all of them by the explosive. It wouldn't set it off but like before, it might keep the darkness at bay. Hanson didn't stop running. Hunter had no issue catching up. For an old man though, he knew how to move.

"We can't blow the charges yet! We have to get out of here otherwise we go with it!" Their hand flares were exhausted. They had to use the flashlight on the end of their rifles to continue to see down the water-filled hallway. The screams and groans from behind them kept them motivated to run through the shin-deep waters. "Get the flare ready! When we get out of here! We need that in the sky!" Hanson barked the orders this time.

Hunter grabbed the flare gun reaching for a shell for it. His knuckles smacked into his bag instead of the pocket throwing his grip off. "Shit!"

The flare was found and loaded. The little bit of light that seeped in from the door was their sign. They were almost there. The two skipped steps as they ran for the surface. They hit that fresh air with the loud hiss of the flare flying from its tube into the sky. Hunter ejected the old shell, grabbing another. He looked away as he fired it into the doorframe of the utility building. It was brighter than the hand flares and better at keeping them back.

"Come on. Where are they?" Hunter cursed for their ride to show up. They were supposed to be on standby. Ready to move at a moment's notice! They still had to travel. He had to keep his head in the game. The want to get out of here was spiking him beyond where he should be, "Can we activate the charges?"

"No, we need to be further out. We have no idea what will collapse with it."

The hissing of the flare was drowned out by the noises coming from the tunnels. Salvation was on the horizon though. The sound of the chopper blades started cutting into the air. They were still far from safe. The flare died off at the top of the stairs. Hunter shouldered his rifle ready for anything to come up. Anything that decided to move would be met with extreme force.

Hanson took the other side of the door. Between the two of them, they could rain enough fire to hold back quite a few of these things for quite a while. "Hanson, you have your detonator, right?"

"I do."

"Good, mine fell into the water on our sprint out here."

Hanson took a knee while he fished his out of his pack. It was intact and functional. They could feel the blades in the air now. They had to step back and start making their way to the chopper. They heard it hit the concrete. That was their sign to go!

Hunter got in taking his seat. He grabbed the belt to hold him in place. Hanson took his hand to help himself up. He took his seat holding the detonator in hand. He flipped the switch to arm it. The light turned green showing it was ready to go. With a nod from Hunter, he squeezed it. They both watched the door waiting for something, but that something never came. Hanson squeezed it again to no avail. His eyes stared at the remote in his hands, "I was afraid of this. The higher frequency radio signal doesn't have the distance to reach the charges."

They were stuck. The helicopter was ready to go with the pilot shouting for them to get strapped in. Hunter seemed at a loss. They couldn't go back down there. He dropped his head back rubbing his eyes. Frustration bubbled up to where his mind was shouting at him. This job was cursed from the beginning. Not just this trip, but every group that has been sent out here. They had hoped that their initial discovery would be able to be contained in this one shaft but it only gave them the chance to grow.

Something jabbed into Hunter's stomach bringing him back to reality. Hanson has shoved a knife into Hunter's buckle. The metal twisted from the force. Hanson took a step back sheathing the knife into its pocket on his chest before pointing to his ears. The short wave radio. Hunter flipped his on as Hanson smacked the side of the helicopter. That was the sign to go.

Hunter felt himself begin to lift off the ground as Hanson started to shrink. "Good luck, young master." Hanson turned around and started walking to the double doors they had once sealed. With two last hand flares he popped them to help drive back the creatures that had no doubt started to crawl their way to the entrance. "Remember! It's our job! This is what we do! We do not do it because it is easy. We do it because we must!" The radio started to crackle the further away they got. Hunter tried to fight with the buckle but Hanson jammed it together. It would not unlatch.

"Hey! Hey! We have to land!" He shouted at the pilot through the mask. The pilot shook his head. He knew better. Hunter stared back at the empty space where Hanson once stood. "Hanson! Hanson! You come out of there right now! We can do this later!" No response. Just radio static blaring in his ears. "Hanson!"

It was seconds before the static ceased. One voice came in clear, "Tell Juliet I am sorry. And know this was not your mista-". Only one loud crackle could be heard. The doors from the building swung open with a force so strong they blew off the hinges. A large boom echoed through the air throwing the chopper off balance.

From the air, you could see how far the tunnel was. The soil started to collapse in on itself creating a kind of sinkhole. It ran for miles into a larger crater that swallowed trees whole. The landscape would be permanently changed.

Hunter watched with his mouth agape. He couldn't make a noise if he had tried. The tears formed as he tried to fight the new reality placed before him.

His teacher, his mentor, his best friend, and companion through business and life.

Was gone.