Arc - Genesis of Flux - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Into the Abyss

December 18, 998

Sunrise

The sun began to rise over the horizon. South leaned against the inside of the helicopter, his body heavy with exhaustion. He watched silently as the pilot maneuvered the chopper to a safe landing in a nearby village, far from the chaos they'd just escaped.

The village was small but liveable. The helicopter door slid open, and the pilot carefully stepped out, holding a baby swaddled in a blanket. A little girl followed. South watched inside the helicopter, the guilt of the innocent lives he hadn't been able to save, still weighing on his mind.

The pilot spoke briefly with a group of townsfolk who had come to investigate the noise. After a few moments, they nodded, taking the baby and little girl in with gentle smiles and reassuring words. South watched from a distance, his expression unreadable. A part of him was relieved that they would be cared for, but the weight of the people's lives he couldn't save lingered like a bitter aftertaste.

As the helicopter took off again, South remained silent, staring out at the landscape below, his thoughts. When they finally reached the open ocean, he moved to the edge of the chopper and dove headfirst into the cold water below.

He swam downward, fighting the current as he descended into the hidden underwater passage that led to the Leichen base. South surfaced inside the entry chamber, the water cascading off his gear as he pulled himself up onto the ledge.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, he climbed the spiral staircase that led to his quarters. When he reached his room, he barely managed to kick the door open before collapsing face-first onto his bed. "Finally," he muttered into the sheets, his voice muffled and weary. "I can rest."

Within seconds, he was asleep, the exhaustion overwhelming his senses. The hours melted away until a sharp knock on his door snapped him back to reality. He groaned, lifting his head.

"I'll be at the conference in ten," he called out, his voice rough.

He staggered to the shower, the cold water jolting him awake. After a quick rinse, he grabbed a snack, brushing his teeth. He pulled a fresh uniform from his wardrobe, dressing swiftly. His reflection in the mirror showed dark circles under his eyes, but he ignored it. "Just another day," he muttered to himself before heading out.

The conference room doors opened with a soft hiss, revealing the familiar faces: Forsterke, Donjivuk, Fischer, and Zofia. Forsterke's eyes narrowed, casting a cold side-eye at South as he took his seat. South ignored him, focusing on the mission ahead.

"Nice to see you alive," Fischer remarked, smiling. "You did well not getting yourself killed."

South shrugged, unfazed. "Thanks for the concern," he replied dryly, taking his seat.

Fischer placed a large briefcase on the table, opening it with a slow motion. Inside were several vials containing various samples of dark, shimmering substances, Netherwraith samples. The room fell silent, all eyes on the corrupted contents within.

"The recent missions were successful," Fischer began, "but the hardest part was extracting the Flux itself. Pure, corrupted Flux, the most dangerous element we've ever dealt with. Zofia managed to bring back significant amounts from her mission, enough to advance our research."

Zofia gave a nod, but South noticed her expression was tight, her fingers tapping lightly against her arm. "I had to cut through waves of those things just to get a drop," she said. "Would have been easier if I had backup."

Donjivuk and Forsterke exchanged a quick glance. Forsterke's sneer remained fixed on South, a thinly veiled look of contempt. South pretended not to notice, his eyes fixed on the samples.

"Pure corrupted Flux is nearly impossible to extract," Fischer continued, "but thanks to Zofia's efforts, and the extermination missions carried out by the rest of you, we have the starting materials we need." He shut the briefcase with a click and turned to South. "Now, it's time for a new cycle. Three days of missions, followed by four days of whatever you need—training, rest, or anything else."

Fischer's gaze lingered on South. "You're assigned to an extraction mission next. We need more samples from a remote village. A case with all the necessary tools is waiting for you in your assigned helicopter. The rest of you will handle exterminations."

South gave a short nod. "Understood."

Fischer dismissed the group with a wave of his hand. As the others began to disperse, Zofia approached South. "Congratulations on your first extermination mission," she said. "I heard you wiped out an entire city of Netherwraiths."

South shrugged. "They're blood-lusted from hundreds of miles away. I didn't have much choice."

Zofia blinked, looking mildly surprised. "Hundreds of miles? I didn't know that... "Interesting. Better get going then. I'll let Fischer know about the range."

South nodded briefly, watching her walk away before he turned back toward his quarters. As the conference room doors closed behind him, he moved quickly, his mind already shifting to his next mission. He entered his room and began packing, a medkit, and a few rations.

His eyes landed on a pack of cigarettes on his table, which was new. He picked it up, reading the label: *Starkov & Sons — "For the Coldest of Nights."* His expression hardened as he crumpled the pack in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket.

Taking a deep breath, South left his quarters and made his way to the water chamber. He entered the chamber and dove into the cold water, swimming upward with a lot of strokes. Emerging at the surface, he climbed the ladder and headed to the waiting helicopter.

Inside, he spotted the briefcase sitting on the seat next to the pilot. He opened it, checking its contents, vials, needles, and containment devices designed to capture and transport the most dangerous samples. Satisfied, he secured the case and buckled in.

The helicopter pilot turned to him with a grin. "This'll be a short trip, so get ready."

South gave a nod, his expression hard. "Alright," he replied, and with that, the helicopter lifted off into the morning sky, heading toward his next mission.