UNSCDF2 Chapter 35- Very Important Business

Reygi, Kandahar, Afghanistan

Secronom Research Facility

April 21, 2001

2130 Local Time

            “Fall back! Retreat!” Zyrok continued to shout as his marines fired at the multi-limbed zombies climbing out of the vent.

            Zyrok’s Desert Fox was getting low on ammo and he looked at the marines attempting to open a door behind him.

            “It’s stuck.” Nevarez pulled on the door handle.

            “Hurry up people.” Zyrok fired a few rounds.

            Suddenly, the door slid open and Frederick stood on the other side.

            “Go! We’ll cover.” Frederick raised her SA80 and aimed behind Zyrok.

            Zyrok and his marines rushed out of the room while Frederick and Cookson covered. Hariprasad stood beside a room opposite to them and waved.

            “Get in.” Hariprasad shouted.

            The marines quickly filed into the room and Hariprasad slid the doors shut. The door was followed by immediate pounding as the zombies bashed against the door.

            “It will hold.” Hariprasad reassured as he tapped the doors.

            “Where are we?” Zyrok looked around.

            “Some sort of control room.” Frederick replied.

            “How did you find us?” Zyrok asked.

            “We heard people shouting and decided to take a look.” Frederick answered.

            “It wasn’t me.” Schmidt raised his hands in the air.

            “Probably me giving the orders.” Zyrok replied.

            “Perhaps, but it looks like being loud for once in a zombie apocalyptic world saved your life.” Frederick teased.

            “I guess so.” Zyrok muttered.

            “That’s it…?” Frederick crossed her arms.

            “What’s it?” Zyrok raised and eyebrow.

            “What Frederick meant was that she was looking for some sort of appreciation…” Cookson immediately understood Frederick’s meaning.

            “Oh, thanks.” Zyrok smiled and thanked Frederick.

            “That’s better.” Frederick scoffed.

            “Wow…” Zyrok exclaimed.

            “I’m just joking. Take it easy Charlie…I meant Zyrok.” Frederick laughed and looked away.

            “Hey guys, look at this.” Nevarez pointed at a computer that was online.

            “What is it?” Zyrok raised an eyebrow.

            Zyrok walked to the computer with Frederick beside him and tapped on the keyboard. The screen lit up and Zyrok sat down next to the computer.

            “You have one unread video log.” the computer spoke.

            Zyrok clicked the mouse and opened the file on the computer desktop.

            “Playing video log sequence Alpha Zulu Zulu 57.” the computer spoke.

            The screen displayed a scientist looking at the camera with a scared face.

            “This is Chief Medical Officer Jenkins from Level Zulu. Test subjects have mutated severely and got out of their holding rooms. Repeat, we have a breach!” the scientist spoke to the computer.

            In the background, two Secronom security guards ran towards Jenkins and grabbed him.

            “We have to go now. Doors are breached.” one guard spoke to Jenkins.

            From the computer, screams and gunshots could be heard in the background noise.

            “Initiate quarantine procedures Pappa Romeo Yankee. This abomination must be destroyed and not reach the surface. The release of them will destroy humanity.” Jenkins frantically spoke on the microphone.

            “Now sir!” the guard spun around and fired two rounds.

            “This is Jenkins signing off. Good luck and Godspeed.” Jenkins frantically spoke on the microphone.

            “From the looks of it, Jenkins didn’t make it.” Frederick guessed.

            “It appears that way…” Zyrok pointed at the door.

            “What’s quarantine procedures Pappa Romeo Yankee?” Cookson asked.

            “Let me check.” Zyrok typed on the computer.

            Zyrok clicked on his mouse and then typed in the database to look for the quarantine procedures. After a few minutes of searching, he found the file.

            “Quarantine procedures Pappa Romeo Yankee is the destruction of all assets in the facility in the event of a quarantine breach.” Zyrok read out loud.

            “Continue, please.” Frederick prompted.

            “All Secronom facilities are equipped with a self-destruct sequence in the event of an outbreak. Should the need for the quarantine procedures to be in effect, there has to be a loss of control of the facility.” Zyrok continued reading.

            “So where’s the self-destruct and how do we turn it on?” Schmidt interrupted.

            “Let me scroll down.” Zyrok moved his mouse down.

            “Hmm…” Frederick studied the computer screen.

            “The self-destruct sequence has to be manually primed in the central room located in Room B5535.” Zyrok read the monitor.

            “Where are we now?” Schmidt asked.

            “Room…B5550.” Frederick replied as she looked at a signage.

            “It’s not far.” Hariprasad commented.

            “Let’s check on May and Forester’s team and see how they are doing?” Zyrok suggested.

            “Good idea.” Frederick agreed.

            “Especially when we are going to blow this facility.” Schmidt added.

            “Forester or May, do you copy?” Zyrok spoke on the RaidComm.

            “Go ahead Zyrok.” Forester replied.

            “What’s your location and status?” Zyrok asked.

            “We’ve retreated with 2-3 to the second floor. Casey’s in serious condition and we believe Robertson is dead.” Forester reported.

            “I’m sorry to hear that.” Zyrok replied with a sigh and looked at the ground.

            “He was a good fellow.” Cookson muttered.

            “He was a hero.” Frederick corrected.

            “Indeed.” Zyrok nodded in agreement.

            “Captain, we need to Casey topside so he can get the nanites.” May interrupted on the RaidComm bringing everyone back to the present.

            “Copy, Forester and May, take your teams topside. We are going to see if we can shut this place down.” Zyrok responded.

            “Marines, time to move out.” Frederick slid a fresh magazine into her SA80.

            “Affirmative, 2-3 and 4-3 going up. Zyrok, what does this facility hold that High Command wants?” Forester asked.

            “Forester, all I see is a science experiment gone wrong. There is nothing valuable that we’ve uncovered.” Zyrok answered to the best of his ability.

            “Let me check.” Excuse me.” Frederick squeezed in front of Zyrok and began to use the computer.

            “Here, sit.” Zyrok stood up and offered Frederick a seat.

            “Thanks.” Frederick sat down with her eyes trained on the monitor.

            Cookson and Hariprasad sat down beside each other and began to chat about the new zombies. Later, Nevarez and Schmidt joined in on the conversation as they waited for Frederick to search the computer.

            “Those eight-legged freaks of nature sure gives me the creeps.” Schmidt shivered.

            “They almost resemble a spider…” Hariprasad commented.

            “Yeah man, eight legs and crawls about anywhere.” Nevarez nodded.

            “If they are spiders…why don’t we just kill it with bug spray?” Cookson joked.

            “Hahaha, very funny. If there even is one available down here to test…” Schmidt laughed.

            Zyrok looked at the marines enjoying their break and turned to face Frederick.

            “Anything?” Zyrok spoke softly.

            “Something…I think.” Frederick pointed at her screen.

            Zyrok looked at the screen and saw a piece of body armor. The armor somewhat resembled Zyrok’s Exterminator Mesh GT except it had thicker plates of armor.

            “Is it me or does it almost look like my armor?” Zyrok pointed at his chest.

            “Maybe this is what High Command was looking for.” Frederick guessed.

            “Forester, Zyrok here. Frederick has looked some sort of file regarding a new armor that Secronom has. Is that what High Command is looking for?” Zyrok asked on the RaidComm.

            “Well Zyrok, the armor High Command issued you was reverse engineered from Secronom’s early prototypes of the Exterminator series.” Forester replied.

            “Other than that, I don’t think Secronom has anything more to offer except those spider zombies.” Zyrok reported.

            “Alright, see if you can get your hands on the armor. We’ll be heading up shortly and will lose communications.” Forester requested.

            “Copy, we’ll find the research and then blow everything up.” Zyrok acknowledged.

            “Good luck marines. We’ll see you topside.” Forester ended the RaidComm transmission.

Kandahar Air Base, Kandahar, Afghanistan

Fire Team Kilo’s Camp

April 21, 2001

2135 Local Time

            “Screw it Sears, I’m grabbing a Pelican to provide some assistance.” Pruett stood up from his chair slightly agitated.

            “Pruett, if you leave this camp, we will also put ourselves in jeopardy.” Sears responded.

            “Sears, did you not hear on the RaidComm? Something is not going right at the facility.” Pruett reasoned.

            “So what do you propose Corporal? We fly there to check?” Sears asked.

            “Yeah. From the looks of it, Zyrok and the others are too deep underground for us to contact them on RaidComm. What if they come up and the Russians have taken over?” Pruett proposed his ideas.

            “Hmm.” Sears rubbed his chin.

            “Sir, I can go with Pruett.” a young marine spoke from his desk.

            “Parker, if you go, who else is going to monitor the radar?” Sears asked.

            “I’ll multitask.” Foo interrupted.

            “Two here and two out…is that a good idea?” Sears questioned the marines.

            “It’s not the best idea, but we’re preventing potential casualties if the Russians get there.” Pruett replied.

            “That’s true. What if they need a quick extraction from the hot zone?” Foo asked.

            “Exactly. So we should be ready.” Pruett agreed.

            “Fine, Pruett and Parker can take a Pelican and assess the situation. If at anytime you feel that the risks are too high, pull out.” Sears crossed his arms.

            “Got it Sarge.” Parker nodded.

            The two marines quickly exited the Command Center and rushed onto the airfield. Two Pelicans were neatly docked in the hangars with the blast doors halfway open. Pruett swiped his UNSC ID badge on an access panel and the blast doors fully opened.

            “Take Kilo 11. That one’s loaded with missiles.” Parker pointed at the Pelican in front of him.

            “Good stuff. We might need it.” Pruett walked aboard the Pelican and into the cockpit.

            “She’s a beauty isn’t she?” Parker pointed at the console.

            “She sure is.” Pruett ran his fingers on a smooth board of controls.

            “Our team customized it for the terrain here. Missile pods, mounted M60, and a rotating GAU-19 at its nose.” Parker smiled as he pointed at the controls.

            “That’s beast.” Pruett sat down on the pilot’s seat.

            “We can even see who is friend or foe if you have the right gear equipped, but that’s just a bonus. This puppy can bring a reign of terror.” Parker said proudly.

            “Ok, nice. Let’s get this off the ground. Do you want to man the turret at the back?” Pruett pressed the ignition button.

            “Ill hop on the turret when we get closer. For now, I’ll take a seat.” Parker sat on a seat beside Pruett.

            The engines of the Pelican roared to life as it began to lift off. As the Pelican ascended ten meters into the air and was clear of obstacles, Pruett pushed the throttle forward and the Pelican sped out of the hangar. Once the Pelican left the hangar, the blast doors sealed halfway.

            “Let’s get this job done.” Pruett grinned as he looked at the Secronom Research Facility in the distant and steered the Pelican towards it.