Babinski shrugged and grinned as he shot another creature. “I assure you, Rozovsky, it’s not intentional.”
As the men dispatched more of the horrors, Brusilov went through their options. They would soon run out of ammo if they remained here and if the creatures were on the ceiling, perhaps―if they were really lucky―there wouldn’t be any below or reduced to a number they might be able to handle. He glanced at the men firing beside him. “Sergei, Petroff, climb down and take position at the bottom of the ladder. It’s time we found that exit.”
The men shot two more creatures as they moved for the ladder. Petroff slid down first, Sergei quickly followed. Bullets continued to find their targets from the remaining men on top. The creatures that had witnessed the deaths of those in front now moved more cautiously or had stopped.
Brusilov placed a hand on Vadik’s shoulder. “I’m going down next. The rest of you follow in quick order.”
The men nodded and followed the captain down the ladder. When Rozovsky was the only one on the tower, he sprayed bullets in all directions at the creatures until his foot touched the top rung. He quickly shouldered his weapon, gripped the side rails and slid to the bottom.
Brusilov explained his escape plan. “We head to the far side of the room and hope we find a usable exit.”
“And if we don’t, what then, Captain?” asked Babinski.
“I’ll let you know if and when that happens. Let’s go.” Brusilov sprinted into the darkness with his weapon raised and moving from side to side. His men followed close behind in staggered formation.
Their feet squelched and slipped in the rain-moistened compost covering the floor. They had crossed over half the room before a creature attacked. It leaped out of the crop at Sergei, who was at the back. He sensed the creature’s presence, turned to the side and fired without breaking stride. The dead creature dropped to the ground. Two more rushed from a side turning in front and were mowed down before their claws found flesh. The leading men jumped over their bodies and dodged the tail head that lunged for them. A single shot from Vadik’s weapon rang out and the snapping head exploded in a spray of blood and teeth.
Brusilov’s light fell on the far wall and searched for a door. Finding one identical to the one they had entered and hoping this one would open, he led the team straight for it. Five more monsters attacked and died before they reached it. Brusilov groaned on spying the smashed control panel. There would be no escape this way. His flashlight and eyes searched the length of the wall until they halted on a dark opening a short distance away. He led the men over and when he paused outside, they formed a defensive shield around him while he checked the room. Brusilov peered inside and swept the light around the chamber before entering. The floor was covered in a thick layer of alien crops collected from the growing beds. Circular impressions dotted across it, hinted it might be where some of the creatures slept. Though his senses screamed at him to turn around and go back, he and his men needed to find a way out of this hellhole.
“Rozovsky, you’re with me. The rest of you wait here.”
Brusilov and Rozovsky crossed the stench-filled room and stepped through the opening in the back wall where a ramp led down to a lower level. On hearing movement, the two men stopped halfway down, crouched and peered through the railings into the lower area. Their lights revealed the room was occupied. Nests formed from gathered crops were occupied by female creatures and their young. All stared at the two intruders, their eyes bright beacons in the reflected light. Some of the females’ bloated bellies indicated they were pregnant. One creature that seemed to be newborn, suckled at its mother’s breast. It was a birthing chamber. Four of the larger young creatures stepped nearer and growled and snarled up at the intruders. Brusilov indicated for Rozovsky to retreat and they slowly backed up the ramp and returned to the exit.
“No exit that way,” Brusilov informed the others as he glanced around the room. “Have any more attacked?”
Vadik shook his head. “Not yet. We’ve glimpsed them moving about in the shadows, but for the moment they’re keeping their distance.”
A worried frown creased Sergei’s brow. “Maybe they’re waiting for the ones from the ceiling to join them so they can attack in a large group.”
Babinski glanced around the room at fleeting shadows too quick to target. “If they do, we won’t stand a chance out in the open like this.”
“How’s the ammo situation?” Brusilov asked.
“Not good,” Petroff replied. “We did a rough calc why you were away―about two mags each plus what we have loaded.”
Brusilov searched the walls for another exit. The monsters seemed too intelligent to trap themselves here; they must have a way in and out of the room. He stepped back from the wall, roamed his light along the higher reaches and noticed a high walkway. A dark opening at one end indicated it led somewhere. The thick metal columns running up the wall to support the ceiling beams would provide the means to reach it.
Vadik had seen the object of Brusilov’s gaze. “We go up, Captain?”
Brusilov nodded. “There’s an exit up there. Though I have no idea where or what it leads to, it’s better than waiting here for the attack that’s sure to come.”
“Amen to that, sir,” said Sergei.
The men spread out, picked a column to climb and began their ascent. When they neared the top, a group of monsters surged forward. Though they snarled and screeched, they made no attempt to climb up after them, as they had proved they could easily do from their ceiling maneuvers. When the men had climbed another few feet, the reason why they remained below became apparent. Followed by some of its pack, the large, paler-skinned leader stepped onto the metal walkway and peered down at them. It swiped its tongue over its hungry teeth and snarled.
The men couldn’t go up and they couldn’t go down.
The lead creature raised its head and barked three times.
Creatures poured through the doorway and along the walkway and the creatures below started climbing.
Weapon fire echoed through the room as the men picked off the monsters climbing towards them from both directions. Fresh cartridges were quickly exchanged for empty as their bullets rapidly dwindled. One by one the click of a firing pin striking an empty breach moved through the men. Those who had pistols, slung their rifle over their shoulders and resumed shooting; those who didn’t, brought their knives into action, slicing and stabbing at any monsters that ventured close enough.
Their chances of survival had dwindled drastically.
Brusilov dodged the creature that leapt at him, almost falling to the ground in the process. While swinging from one hand and firing two shots into the creature’s head, he noticed lights sweeping the dark room. He glanced at the lights at the far end of the room by the entrance. It had to be the engineering team. He shouted out a warning. “Don’t let the door close. It can’t be opened from the inside.” After regaining his footing on the column, he glanced across the room. “If that’s you, Chief, we could do with some help here. There are monsters in the room and we’re almost out of ammo.”
The lights held by the engineering team focused on the Captain’s voice at the far end of the room and highlighted the monstrous creatures attacking their comrades.
Recovering from his shock at seeing the strange alien monsters, Nikolay turned to his men. “Alexei and Mikhail, stay in the corridor and make sure the door remains open. Yelchin, you are the best shot. Take position here and pick off as many monsters as you can. The rest of you come with me.”
The men followed his hurried dash through the room. Yelchin took up position by the end of a crop bed, knelt on one knee and looked through the Ak-12’s sight. He focused on a creature above Vadik and fired. Blood spurted from the creature’s head when it fell. He moved to the next creature and fired. It joined its dead comrades on the floor. He focused on the next.