17. The Hole
I'd finally escaped Carmen's clutches. Holed up in my private room for some rest, my phone suddenly started buzzing like crazy. What the hell? I looked down to see a notification:
1st Squad: Assemble
This has to be something annoying, right? List me a hundred reasons why I should go. Shockingly, the phone kept insisting on reasons why I had to go. No... how do I turn this alarm off? Is it seriously gonna keep ringing until I report back to the squad?
I waited it out for a bit. Even after a hundred seconds, the alarm showed no signs of stopping. Worse, there's no info on when it actually ends. My ears are starting to ring with hallucinations now. The phone alarm and the echoes in my head started overlapping. Come to think of it, I didn't specify no duplicate clauses. No way it's ringing a hundred times to rack up a hundred "reasons." Fine, I'll go.
For a split second, I considered chucking the phone, but that'd be rude. Dragging my feet, I headed to the squad barracks. When I finally arrived, everyone was hustling around like mad. The squad members spotted me like ghosts and turned their stares my way.
"Thought you'd bail this time, but you showed up?"
No, I only came this far hoping the alarm might shut off... and hey, it did! No clue if it glitched out or if actually reaching the squad was the right call. Either way, stepping into the squad area apparently counts as agreeing to the op. Screw it, let's do this.
The moment I nodded, Carlos got back to prepping. Grabbing rations, checking weapons, inspecting uniforms—total frenzy. Me? Nothing to do. Or more precisely, no idea what to do. In the game, you just click "depart" and resources auto-deplete. No way to know the nitty-gritty IRL. Plus, unlike the others, all I got issued was this damn alarm-ringing phone. Was I just a mannequin? Swap outfits and you're "prepped." Even if I go, what can I actually do? Inspector... what even is that? Why no weapons? Not even a pistol? Not that it'd matter against cadavers.
Ah, now I get it. That's why Carmen called me harmless. I look shady on the surface, but dig a little and I'm obviously disposable.
While I stood there blinking, 1st Squad finished prepping. Alright, time to roll out.
This time, we went pretty far. Previous missions were day trips, but this one's a half-day haul just to get there.
Rumble rumble rumble! Gunfire never let up en route. Carlos, driving up front, kept blasting his Finisher. But the real thunder was from 3rd Squad's captain hosing down the area with her machine gun. Oh yeah, 3rd Squad's captain was Carmen. What do you call this? Bad karma?
That machine gun's a beast, though. "Madre," was it? Odd name for a MG, but fitting. Thanks to Carmen's nonstop barrage, cadavers charging the vehicles turned into Swiss cheese before they got close. The firepower cradling everything in its bosom—yeah, worthy of "Mother."
Squad leaders stealing the show everywhere, huh? Difference is, Carmen focuses solely on shooting, while Carlos drives and fires. Maybe he's plotting post-arrival strategy in that head of his.
1st Squad's quirky on inspection. Fewer members than others—no military truck for us, just a five-seater. Squad's disciplined but... off-kilter. Rira calls Carlos "Captain," Nova barely addresses anyone. Me? I only speak when spoken to, like Nova.
1st Squad looks competent on the outside, but scratch the surface and it's a ragtag bunch. The driver up front wasn't just steering—he was herding this grand playtime squad. Kinda respectable. I'd love to massage his shoulders, but as the suspected spy, no dice.
But I could drive? Looks fun. Terrain's rough, but max speed on open ground? Cathartic. Can't resist.
"I'll drive on the way back."
Let this big bro treat you. No response. Too noisy?
"How do you plan to drive? Didn't check any license."
Good, he heard. But... license? I don't have one? Blinking at this curveball, Rira piped up.
"Looked fun or something?"
Super prickly tone. How'd she read my mind? And why the scary face? She's gonna eat someone.
"What do you even think a mission is?"
Thought it'd be a quick jab, but she's going full throttle?
"Important and noble work."
"You only show for 'important and noble' when you feel like it?"
Uh... didn't expect this rabid pup to lecture me. Fair point, though. But I followed the captain's orders to the letter. Why the sudden attack? Thinks I'm joking? Nah, dead serious. No license, but better than licensed drivers. Riskier, sure.
Rira's breathing's getting heavier? Fists might fly for real this time.
"You don't think we're playing pretend, do you?"
Gasp! How'd she know? No, that's not—
She'd been simmering. Figured as Dr. Licht's spy, I'd get ignored. Flow was perfect for Carlos to back her up, but he reined her in.
"Captain...!"
See? Even Rira's miffed he won't take her side. I'd be too.
"Her actions scream 'leaving soon.' She's just an unplanned insert."
Yeah yeah, I'm not sticking around. Captain's got vision.
"Keep acting like that, and even hardliners lose justification. Dishonorable discharge in a month."
Rira trembled. Rage spilling into muscle spasms she couldn't contain. Wait, what? I'll get kicked out if I keep this up?
...Makes sense on reflection. Not conscripted, career soldier or whatever. No reason to keep someone slacking off entirely.
...But that's a problem. Dr. Licht thinks I obey him blindly. If they report me for poor performance and boot me, he'll know the brainwashing's broken. Alert! Not too late, right? Please say yes!
Shocking realization: dishonorable discharge looming. Soon after, we hit the target zone.
"This is it."
Half-day drive, still just wasteland. Expected ruined city or something. Nuke fallout? Kinda disappointing. No time for that! I've got important work: spreading dreams and hope.
My week-long rebellion ends now. Time to evolve into Nera MK.3, everyone's super assistant. Rebellion over in a week—performance review should factor that in, right?
Starting with Carlos, 1st Squad disembarked. 3rd Squad opposite, rowdy with numbers. Time till night, but we pitched tents ASAP. Long drive meant dusk closing in. Pitching in dark? Nightmare.
3rd Squad next door raised a huge canopy. Numbers mean scale. 1st? Four personal tents done. Feels like camping—if not for cadavers slinking up.
Not threatening, but creepy. Nova's frozen, tent parts in hand. Perfect chance to show my skills. Slid next to her casually. She glanced down, spotting me. Eye contact, then handed me parts. Similar souls connect—no words needed.
Took the pieces, got to work. Stake firm for stability, poles for shape, secure to stakes. Done. One-man tent—no fuss. Not like 3rd's big top.
Surveyed: Rira and Carlos finished. Anything else? Fire? Spotted charcoal spot on unload. Gathered stuff, prepping camp proper. Carlos approached.
"You can do that too?"
What does he think I am?
"I'm pretty capable, you know."
"Never leave your room, but big talk."
Damn! Not enough? Gotta try harder!
Got fire roaring via charcoal, then whipped up food. Only chores I can do. Combat's my forte, but as inspector volunteer, I'm the errand girl.
"Fine, handle camp setup."
Handle it? Leaving me? Tailed 1st Squad subtly. Nope, Carlos shut it down.
"Keep saying it: half-assers just hinder. Want to help? Finish camp."
True enough. But camp's done—what now? They hog the fun again. Gotta play nice this time. Can't get booted!
Minutes after Carlos and crew left, darkness blanketed everything. Open wasteland or not, pitch black's risky. But 1st Squad's the exception—won't get jumped over no light.
"Captain, why the rush tonight?"
Valid question. Strong or not, night's thin justification. Surveillance beacon vanishing is big, but not immediate sector threat. More precursor—like receding tide before tsunami, animal migrations pre-quake.
"Caught a signal briefly. No telling when next, so pursue now."
"Confirmed. Solid trace."
"Like Nova says, beacons break from cadavers only. Signal from 'broken' one means... likely swallowed one underground."
"So this signal's the cadaver's position?"
"Yeah."
"No choice then."
Deep-buried beacon means it tunnels freely. Process if possible, strength aside. Tracked last signal. No big fuss en route—cadavers sleep at night mostly. Stealth avoids fights.
"Should be around here..."
Carlos lit up, scanned. Flashlight devoured by dark—hard to spot visually.
"Captain, nothing. Buried deep?"
"Thought wasteland'd make it easy, but if it never surfaced... no way to check."
As they chatted...
"Ah."
Short yelp. Rira reacted, heading to Nova.
"Danger."
Nova halted her. "Front. Hole."
Flashlight stretched ahead. Seemed shadowed wasteland at first. Wrong. That floor shadow? No shadow. Entire visible ground: a massive, bottomless hole.