Re: Intrigue: A New Earth ~ One-on-One Ethereal and xraineyesx [IC]

[xraineyesx]

She smiled weakly at him. "Yeah, just a bit hot. I dressed in layers."

Anya wasn't really hot, but for the sake of show, she took off her outter layer, the red button up jacket and folded it. She tucked it into her bag, which was sitting next to her, and then settled into her seat to wait.

The team was exchanging orders and supplies, she could see. One of them had brought Alfrei a large bag, green like Army supplies, and she was sure it was filled with the tools he needed for his job. There were three men in total, and she felt as if she should introduce herself to them personally later. The helicopter was loud and not the place for idle pleasantries.

The ride was smooth for the most part. Getting bored, she dug around her back until she found her compact and a stick of eyeliner. Feeling self-conscious as if the team would judge her as a silly female, she opened the compact, holding it in one hand to look in the mirror. In the other, she traced the edges of her lids in a smokey gray-black color. She turned the pencil around, using the spongy smudger on the end to soften the lines. She unscrewed the top of her mascara and applied it to her top lashes.

Taking one final look at her appearance, she sighed, snapping the compact shut with a noise no one would hear over the blades of the chopper. She tossed her cosmetics back in her back and sat back again, hands laid flat on her thighs.

She wondered how far it was to wear they were going, and a nervous, butterfly-fluttering sensation settled into her stomach.

[Ethereal]

The flight was filled with uncertainty, but the people on the chopper pushed on with their resolve. One man swore to protect a woman, the woman anxious to make a name for herself. Where? On a tiny island that was six hours away from them.

Alfrei jumped off the chopper first when it landed on Intrigue's private port. In there, they would be taking a submarine ride to the island. With a quick glance around the port for their transport, Alfrei caught a glimpse of it docked in the in bay number four. Turning back to the chopper, he took Anya's hand -which was surprisingly very soft and smooth- and helped her step down from the chopper. Three of his men followed suit.

People were waiting for them as they neared bay number four. It was the welcoming crew. Alfrei pressed on, skipping the formalities and hastily made his way to the submarine. The sooner they get to the island, the better. With the chain of command broken for Frontier One, the team could only hold themselves for so long. Six hours of sea travel, it was the only thing they needed to clear, the last hurdle.

Once inside, Alfrei instructed his men to take Anya to her cabin and for them to head over to the bridge. Once said, Alfrei proceeded to the submarine's cargo bay and confirmed if Anya's equipment had been loaded. He was satisfied to learn that Mr. Tilton, as usual never fails to make short notice preparations happen.

All that is left to do now is to wait...

Alfrei made his way out of the cargo bay and was on his way to see the submarine's captain. Along the way, he felt a whim to check up on Anya and did so. She was given the sub's second largest cabin, the doors were ajar when he arrived. Knocking twice on the steel door to let Anya acknowledge his presence, Alfrei stood before the doorway with his eyes on her.

"The equipment you requested is loaded on the sub. I checked them personally. If there's anything else I can get for you, I'll be at the bridge. It's a six hour journey, you should rest."

[xraineyesx]

The ride was long and boring. It left Anya full of nervous anxiety. The sitting around and doing nothing made her feel absolutely powerless. Her mind was conjuring scenarios that could have led to the disappearance of the good doctor. What could be going on on that island?

But finally, they landed. Alfrei was already out of the chopper and offering her his hand. She took it, her cheeks flushing a little again. She wasn't sure why it made her feel so embarrassed to come into contact with him. Perhaps it was because she felt as if he viewed her as nothing more than an object to keep safe.

Whatever it was, she was on the ground now and staring around her, sighing. She had forgotten about the boat ride - or submarine ride, as it was to be in this case. Bay Four, she noted, as she rushed along to keep up. Inside the sub, Alfrei's team was leading her to her own quarters. It was a spacious cabin, though it was void of decoration. And that made perfect sense. On a sea voyage, only the necessary items should be there. Decorations would only serve as a hazard in rough waters.

She set her bag down and was looking around her when the sharp, high-pitched noise metal makes when rapped upon got her attention. Spinning around, she saw Alfrei standing in the doorway, staring at her.

"Oh, hello," she said, slightly puzzled.

He was speaking to her, instructing her as he always did. It was the only form of communication they ever had. "Yes, Alfrei," she acknowledged his statement. She couldn't think of anything else she needed and was grateful that her equipment was aboard. "I think I will rest."

[Ethereal]

Sometimes the decision to rest proves to be a wise choice. Alfrei, having passed on every human's need to take eight hours of rest, felt like catching a wink while standing on the bridge with the captain. They were plotting the quickest route to take while staying off the radar, but he couldn't silence the brief yawn that escaped his mouth.

"I'm sorry Captain, resting is something I'm not required to do on the job." he said trying to justify his lack of attention.

"Son, how do you expect to do your job perfectly if you're not at your best? I've been there, I've done that. Trust me son, you better shape up. You'll need it." the captain replied and gestured for Alfrei to be on his way.

It makes sense, what he said. No man could do a job well if not at tip-top shape. Alfrei excused himself from the bridge and made his way to the cabin provided for him and his men. Inside, three of his men were already fast asleep. Alfrei lied down on the empty bunk and suddenly thought of Anya and the way she blushes. He was not sure why but that image of her got stuck in his mind. Not that it matters in any way, he just finds it... cute.

With a light smile on his lips, Alfrei closed his eyes and soon fell asleep...


******


The nudging on his shoulder woke Alfrei up, only to see one of his men all geared up.

"You awake yet? C'mon boss, time to get the show on the road. We're here." he informed him.

With the words said, Alfrei's eyes shot wide open and he was suddenly on full throttle, gearing up as fast as he can and made his way to Anya's cabin. He looked at his watch and was surprised to see that they made the journey an hour and a half earlier than anticipated. Was he glad that they did? He couldn't really say.

"Anya? Anya are you awake yet? We're already here." he called out to her from behind her cabin door.

The sub was docked and the inside was full of activity. Through the hustle and bustle of the sub's crew, Alfrei was informed via their comm links that Anya's equipment are already unloaded, and that there were people from Frontier One on shore waiting to meet her.

"Affirmative. We'll be right up." he replied and knocked on Anya's door once again.

[xraineyesx]

After Alfrei left, Anya had taken his advice and laid down. She did not feel particularly tired, but she also knew that it could be a long time before she got decent rest. Her eyelids drifted closed and she fell asleep, curled up on her side. Her dreams were neither pleasant nor nightmarish, and she would not remember them when she woke up.

Several times throughout the journey she awoke, rolled over, adjusting her position, and fell back asleep. It was a weird sensation sleeping under the waves and she tried not to think about it.

Shortly after having fallen asleep for perhaps the fourth time, an urgent call stirred her from her slumber.


"Anya? Anya are you awake yet? We're already here."

She sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to place the voice. It was Alfrei.

"Oh!" she exlaimed, "yes, I'm awake."

She rolled off the bed she had been sleeping upon and started collecting her stuff. She glanced at her watch and frowned. They had arrived earlier than they had anticipated. She would have enjoyed napping some more, but shrugging it off, she supposed that, over all, it was a good thing that they had arrived sooner rather than later.

Tugging her red jacket on, she slung her bag over her arm in a haste and stepped out to meet Alfrei. "What's happening?" she asked, wondering more so what to do next.

She could not wait to explore the island, but she was nervous. Lately all the news from Frontier One had been of the bad variety. Something on the island was dangerous. She couldn't fathom what. Animals, perhaps, or people they had overlooked, or maybe even a traitor from the inside. She gulped.

It was going to be one rough ride.

[Ethereal]

"Let's go topside and find out." Alfrei answered and led the way to the sub's deck.

They were finally here, the truly magnificent view of the island from where the sub was docked is proof enough that their eyes aren't playing tricks on them. There exists an uncharted island after all. Alfrei had to wear sunglasses to keep the sun's bright rays from limiting his vision. The vast flora, the circling birds all around the island, the white sands of the shoreline, everything about the island was surreal. But this was where the good doctor vanished. Alfrei knew the island has yet to bear its fangs at them.

Helping Anya down to the sub's rubber boat, Alfrei got a much better grasp of her figure. It was something that made him smile faintly. Anya had a nice body. Could it be attraction? No, Alfrei charged it to surprise instead. Once settled in along with the rest of his men, the team rode the short distance to the shore where people waited for their arrival. Among those men who were on shore was Doctor Harvey's aide, and a few hired laborers.

"Welcome to the people! But I'm warning you, this is not like The Island in the movies so stay sharp." Alfrei instructed as their rubber boat hit the shore.

Immediately after they disembarked, the more decent looking man ran up to them and introduced himself to Anya.

"M-miss Merdon I believe? C-call me Watson.... I uhh... I-I'm Doctor Harvey's aide. P-pleased to meet you and w-welcome to the island..."

The man was shaken. Alfrei and the rest of his team noticed and noted the fact. They could only look at each other and shrug it off. Sooner or later, they'll eventually end up finding out why. The laborers were left in-charge of carrying their equipment to camp and this Watson guy acted as their guide on the island. Alfrei took point with his gun on ready.

"Anya, you're still wearing that necklace I gave you back on the chopper right?" Alfrei asked while surveying the forest path they were treading.

[xraineyesx]

"Let's go topside and find out."

Anya nodded her agreement and exited the submarine with Alfrei. The sunlight made her squint her eyes up until they adjusted. Before her was a breathtaking view of the island - the island that she was about to explore, the island where she would make her discovery. It was beautiful.

And dangerous. She knew that, as well. The doctor had disappeared, and his team had been struck down. There was something here, something lurking in the shadows that was just biding its time. A chill ran down her spine.

Distracted for the moment as Alfrei helped her into the boat, they headed for shore. Her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink as always at the contact.

Her mind immediately went back to the island as Alfrei began speaking again. They were landing, and Anya's eyes were taking everything in: the trees, the shore, the ocean - everything. She was yet again distracted as a man ran up to her and began to introduce himself.


"M-miss Merdon I believe? C-call me Watson.... I uhh... I-I'm Doctor Harvey's
aide. P-pleased to meet you and w-welcome to the island..."

His words were uneasy. He was shook up. But obviously he was. Why wouldn't he be? Given the circumstances of their arrival, it made only sense.

She extended her hand and shook his. "Pleased to meet you as well, Watson."

The introduction formally taken care of, they began journeying to the site, leaving some people to carry ashore the remaining supplies. Alfrei was speaking to her again.

"Anya, you're still wearing that necklace I gave you back
on the chopper right?"

She glanced at him and nodded. "I am." Her words were simple and short. She assumed that Alfrei would like that kind of answer best. Her hand snaked to the belt he had hooked around her waist, and she ran her fingers over the holster lightly. It reassured her slightly, relieving some of the anxiety she felt as they journeyed toward the site.

[Ethereal]

The air was somewhat tense as they journeyed to the camp. Watson had been too quiet and it almost felt like something was definitely wrong on the island. Alfrei was expecting a little bit of scientific talk and an exchange of discovery conversations between Anya and the guy, but there was nothing... only silence. He was about to break the ice by asking his own questions when Watson started to speak.

"S-so... you g-guys are our new s-security right? W-why are there o-only three of you?" Watson inquired.

Alfrei stopped walking and turned around to face Watson. He took off his sunglasses before speaking.

"No, we're not your new security detail, my team belongs to Ms. Merdon. We're not here to take orders from you or anybody else but her. See that sub back there? They'll be in-charge of the search and rescue ops for Doctor Harvey. Also they'll be doing a sweep of the island and reinforce security."

"O-okay... I g-get that. But I should p-probably warn you that t-ten of your guys got k-killed by that thing... just before D-doctor Harvey went m-missing. The people are in p-panic! Nobody wants to... to go out and continue t-the expedition anymore..."

Alfrei shook his head sideways. Not only was this guy doubting his capabilities, he had also sentenced them to their deaths in his mind.

"Shut up and keep walking. We're going to do a sweep of the area where Doctor Harvey was last seen. Once we take care of that thing you say, all of you are free to resume operations under Ms. Merdon's command."

The long silence continued until they finally reached the camp in the middle of the jungle. There were lots of hired labor lying around doing nothing. The people were clearly discouraged and afraid. Alfrei then turned to face Anya.

"I have a different method of Crowd Control... if you know what I mean. I'll be leaving the morale boosting to you." he whispered.

[xraineyesx]

Anya walked beside Alfrei. She was surprised that the trail was wide enough for anything more than single file, but hey, she wasn't complaining. All was silence until Watson started jabbering on like a mental patient again.

"S-so... you g-guys are our new s-security right? W-why are there o-only three of you?" Watson inquired.

She ignored him. His question was obviously directed to Alfrei and did not concern her... Although, she couldn't help but listen. After all, were they here to guard everyone or just her?


"No, we're not your
new security detail, my team belongs to Ms. Merdon. We're not here to
take orders from you or anybody else but her. See that sub back there?
They'll be in-charge of the search and rescue ops for Doctor Harvey.
Also they'll be doing a sweep of the island and reinforce security."

Alfrei's answer was very satisfying to her. She had her own personal team, and she, above all others would be protected. It relaxed her some. It might have been selfish of her to desire them to focus only on her, but it was a natural instinct, a survival of the fitness kind of thing. She felt the need to protect herself before she worried about anyone other than herself. Maybe she wasn't the noble martyr.

But she would be alive.

"O-okay...
I g-get that. But I should p-probably warn you that t-ten of your guys
got k-killed by that thing... just before D-doctor Harvey went
m-missing. The people are in p-panic! Nobody wants to... to go out and
continue t-the expedition anymore..."

Watson was carrying on again. This statement affected Anya more directly... No one wanted to continue the expedition? Rubbish. She would make them. If they wouldn't go willingly, she would put them in line by intimidation. This was too important to be cowards about, there were discoveries to be made!

She tuned them out now, even though little else was said. Her mind was too focused on putting her team in order and getting their asses in gear and out in the field. They were sent here to explore and discover - and if they wouldn't do it, she would have Mr. Tilton remove them from their duties and send her people that would. She knew he would do it.

The walk was silent until they reached the camp.

"I have a different method of Crowd Control... if you
know what I mean. I'll be leaving the morale boosting to you."

Alfrei had leaned over and whispered to her. She stood on her tiptoes to whisper back. "Oh, don't worry. I'll boost them one way or another... if you know what I mean."

And she meant it. These slackers and cowards would get their act together or get out. She stepped into the middle of camp, her hands on her hips and observed for a moment, noticing the attention she was getting.

"Alright!" she bellowed out, her voice carrying far and clearly reaching every man present, "listen up." She waited until all eyes were on her, the motion in the camp completely ceased. "I am Anya Merdon. I am now in charge of this expedition. You will answer to me. This expedition continues as scheduled. Is that clear?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously, daring anyone to defy her.

[Ethereal]

"A-are you sure you want to t-take orders from her?" Watson asked Alfrei as both of them saw her display of authority and leadership.

Alfrei shifted his sunglasses and stared at Anya as she addressed the hired laborers. Amazing... he thought to himself and smiled after hearing Watson's question. She can be fierce when needed and is mostly cheerful under normal circumstances, just the way he liked.

"Damn right I am." he answered and instructed his men to sweep the perimeter.

The laborers were hesitant to obey but they had no choice in the matter. It's either they get shipped out without pay or do what they came to do and earn a living. Alfrei walked over to Anya and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Impressive, well done. I think we're going to get along just fine with that display. Now, on to business." he said and followed Watson to Doctor Harvey's tent. They would need to see the geographic layout of the island and map the parts already explored by the good doctor. Also, Alfrei needed to investigate the last point Doctor Harvey was in before letting Anya do her thing.

"OK Watson, I need to know when and where Doctor Harvey last went to and mostly, about that thing you were talking about. What is it exactly?" Alfrei asked and spread a map of the island he found lying on the table.

"W-well... yesterday, the d-doctor along with his team went out t-to explore what they c-called, the ruins..." he started and pointed the location on the map with his index finger. "T-that thing... I didn't really see it myself a-as I was mostly left here to hold the fort. Some of t-the laborers claimed that it was a m-man..." he said and started pacing back and forth inside the tent.

"Think straight Watson, a man you say? How could a man kill ten armed security like that?" Alfrei pressed on.

"I-I-I don't know! The laborers s-said it moves as fast as the wind for christ's sake!"

It was pointless to ask anymore. This man never saw that thing and the only way to confirm its existence is to flush it out. Alfrei then decided to head out and search for it himself. He cocked his gun and checked his ammo belt before turning to Anya.

"You stay here. I'll go and hunt this thing down." he said and turned to Watson. "Is there anything else I should know about the Ruins?" he asked.

Watson shook his head. "Aside from that t-thing spotted in that area, you a-also need to watch your footing. The place is old and may c-crumble anytime."

"Right... very useful..." Alfrei said and stepped out of the tent.

[xraineyesx]

"A-are you sure you want to t-take orders from her?"

Anya heard Watson from where she was standing. It was completely silent in the area due to everyone but that insolent man listening to her every word. She said nothing but her eyes flicked toward him, narrowed and full of resolve. They said it all: I dare you to speak again.

And then Alfrei's next statement brought a small smile to her lips.

"Damn right I am."

"Damn right you are," she thought inside her own head.

She stepped out of the center of camp and the center of attention and followed Alfrei and Watson to the tent that had formerly belonged to Dr. Harvey. It was spread out with maps and notes, things that would be important. She would need to spend time reviewing these later, but right now, the more pressing issue was finding out what had happened before they had arrived.

The conversation was almost pointless. Watson was jabbering on yet again as if he was an escaped mental patient. What he was saying sounded like one of those legends stirred up by locals to scare people and attract tourists. She'd heard hundreds of them just like it. Frowning, she stepped away from the immediate conversation and began to look over the maps and take a precursory glance at the doctor's notes.

She did not have much time to do so, however, as Alfrei had decided to go on a hunting mission personally and immediately.

"You stay here.
I'll go and hunt this thing down." he said and turned to Watson. "Is
there anything else I should know about the Ruins?" he asked.

Anya looked up from the map she had been studying. The Ruins were very clearly marked though not highly detailed, but the path there was very specific. She nodded at him in acknowledgment and went back to studying the maps as he stepped out of the tent. She looked up again at Watson.

"Don't you have something to be doing?" she said, almost a snarl. "Or do you people generally just stand around all day?"

She didn't wait for his answer, however, and she stormed out of the tent. Glancing around nervously, she strode around the edge of camp with her head held high. People were glancing at her. She knew she was a curiosity, but she ignored them. Catching sight of Alfrei just as he was disappearing out of camp, she made her way around to that side and waited a few moments for him to get ahead of her. Pretending to study camp, the glances soon faded from her and she took the opportunity to disappear into the wilderness and start her journey toward the ruins.

[Ethereal]

Forty-five minutes trekking the forest path to the ruins and Alfrei found himself having trouble staying upright. The more he neared the ruins, the more he felt his physical energy getting exhausted. The air was fine, he was in good physical condition and it was just forty-five minutes of cautious walking. Alfrei stopped for a brief rest and looked around the area. He checked the coordinates he inputted in his palmtop and took a deep breath - he was nearly there.

The sound of static breaking through his comm brought Alfrei's attention back to the camp. It was one of his men, conversing with a worried tone.

"Boss! Ms. Merdon, she left camp!"

"Crap! I thought I told you to keep an eye on her!?"

"We were! We assumed she was just checking out the specimens gathered by Doctor Harvey's team, next thing we knew she was gone!"

Alfrei ended the transmission with a curse. It was not part of the deal to go around on her own and she should have known better! Alfrei quickly pulled out his palmtop and switched to the tracking program to find Anya. To his surprise, she was somewhere near him and was en route to the ruins. He sighed and picked up his feet after getting a lock on her position. What could she be thinking when there's a possible killer roaming the forests?!

His breathing was now labored and he could feel beads of sweat starting to stream down his face and neck. But He pushed on, leaping over low bushes and ducking to avoid hanging vines, Alfrei cut through the path he took to make it as fast as he could to Anya.

He was hoping for the best scenario but as soon as he could see the path clearing, his hopes were shattered. There was a man walking cautiously on the same path as Anya. He was wearing strange clothing and his face was covered by a mask, something similar to one of those oriental festivals. But it was not the strange clothes nor the mask that worried Alfrei. It was the man's presence and that ominous looking sword he had in hand.

Looking to the left, Alfrei finally spotted the unaware Anya and felt a sudden pressure crash unto him. Turning his gaze back at the man, Alfrei cursed as he saw him dash towards Anya, sword on ready. Alfrei quickened his pace despite his burning legs and with one powerful leap, landed on the path and yelled.

"Anya! Get down!"

The sound of three gunshots resounded in the tranquil forest atmosphere, disturbing the local wildlife from their usual day to day activities. Alfrei made it just in the nick of time. The man fell to hard earth, motionless.

[xraineyesx]

Sneaking out of camp was laughably easy. Some team Alfrei had brought along with him. They couldn't even keep a close enough eye on her to keep her from sneaking away.

But she was done thinking about that for now. Now she had to concentrate on following Alfrei. If she lost him, she'd never find the ruins successfully, not without the map. The vegetation was dense, making it tough to progress, and she cursed uninhabited islands in her own mind.

It seemed never ending. Step after step, dragging on and on, through an endless sea of fauna that wanted to stop her from going anywhere. She pushed branches out of her way, ducked under them, tugged herself through brush that clawed and caught around her legs and waist. It was hopeless.

And it was noisy. All the crackling and crunching and rustling of branch and leaf was irritating her. The sound was grating, and she tried covering her ears but found that she couldn't progress without her hands.

"Ugh!" she said out loud to herself after pushing through what seemed to be the billionth thorny bush and threw her hands into the air. What utter rubbish. Couldn't the team sent her to explore at least have made a decent path? She made a mental note to acquire a machete to cut all of this vegetation down.

And then she heard her name shouted.

"Anya! Get down!"

She ducked down, and then she heard the fire of a gun. Once... twice... three times. Her heart pounding and the adrenaline coursing through her body, her breath came in deep, steadying inhales. The gun was silent and she chanced to look ahead of her.

Alfrei. With his gun. He was the one shooting. Thank God, she thought to herself.

And then she looked behind her, turning her head around almost as quickly and throwing a hand over her mouth. She felt as if she was going to vomit. Alfrei had shot a man down, a strange, tribal looking man - a man with a sword.

"Oh God," she whispered to herself, her body quaking from the shock and the realization of the fact that a man was dead because of her, a man who had been trying to kill her anyway. "Oh God."

She stood up slowly, eyes staring blankly at the ground, not thinking about the certain lecture she was going to receive from Alfrei. Her mind was filled only with the image of the motionless man, blood staining his corpse and the ground, and how close she had come to almost losing her own life.

[Ethereal]

Relief was the only emotion he felt when the unknown person coming up behind Anya fell to the ground. It was close, too close for comfort. Immediately, Alfrei rushed over to Anya and checked if she was alright. He had that strict and pissed off look in his eyes but they were gone just as quick as they came. What matters most is that she was safe. Holstering his pistol, Alfrei offered her a hand to get her back up to her feet. He didn't give her a lecture, Alfrei just turned around and walked back to the corpse.

Kneeling down on one knee, Alfrei flipped the corpse with little effort and took off the mask it had. The face of a human was revealed and that made Alfrei wonder which company does the man work for? Next step was to search for identification. His hands were all over the corpse looking for pockets on its robe but there was none. One thing that caught his attention was the fact that the man was wearing leather armor underneath. Pretty old fashioned for this day and age.

"This is weird... too weird. Who would wear leather armor this day and age when Kevlar is around?" he asked himself.

The next thing that Alfrei noticed was the man's weapon. It was a sword, well crafted and with intricate design. The thing about the sword that mystified Alfrei was that he couldn't place the origin. It was neither middle-eastern nor oriental and definitely not European made. He took the sword and swung it a few times. It was very lightweight and well balanced, truly easy to wield.

"I think I'm going to keep this sword..." he said and chuckled.

Turning back to face Anya, Alfrei suggested that they push on. They were near the Ruins anyway and the threat was gone. It would be best to survey the Ruins before bringing in the laborers and Anya's equipment.

"Hey, don't let it get to you. This comes with the job remember? Come on, the Ruins is just over there."

Alfrei used the sword he picked up to hack down bushes and vines to clear a path. Surprisingly, the sword was sharper than he actually thought. After making sure Anya was just behind her, he pushed on and finally cleared the last hurdle of vines and bushes.

With that last hack, a structure that seem to appear golden under the sun's rays stood mighty before them. What a view it was indeed. Alfrei stopped to admire the obelisk-like structure that was made of... strange metal. In the center of the structure, there seem to be some sort of sealed passage. Alfrei glanced back at Anya.

"Wanna go in? Now that I'm with you again, I don't think there would be a problem with safety issues. Just try not to fall down alright?" he said with a faint smile.

[xraineyesx]

Anya allowed Alfrei to help her up and she stood on unsteady feet, peering into the wilderness around them with unseeing, unblinking eyes. Alfrei had left her side to examine the now-lifeless body of the man, but still she stood in spot, too stunned to both examining it herself.

A few moments passed and Alfrei returned, carrying the sword the man he shot dead was going to use to kill her. She flicked her eyes toward it for a second then to Alfrei's face, taking in his words of reassurance. She nodded slowly, listening to him. She knew it was part of the job, but that hadn't been what had shocked her. She fully expected to encounter danger of various forms, even from within the camp.

What shocked her was seeing a lifeless corpse that had been shot down in front - well, behind her. Actually seeing the dead body of someone who's death she had witnessed was what was eating at her mind. It was a nauseating feeling, and her mind thought how horrible war must be for soldiers.

But Alfrei wanted to continue to the Ruins. "Okay," she said dully, nodding and walking behind him as he chopped down vegetation.

Clearing the vegetation made the progress so much quicker than before, and soon enough, the Ruins stood before them. This snapped her back out of her mind and into the situation at hand.

"Oh!" she gasped upon seeing them.

It was beautiful and full of discoveries just waiting to be found and mysteries waiting to be solved. She stepped around Alfrei and approached the Ruins. Standing in front of them, she put her hands on her hips in awe and looked up and down them. She began walking around the side of them, running her hand over the material. It was smooth... So smooth. What was this made from?

"Look at this!" she called to Alfrei. "It's beautiful!"

[Ethereal]

"Ahh yes, from the artistic point of view, you may call it beautiful. But from my point of view it looks dangerous." Alfrei said as he approached Anya and took a quick look at the object she was referring to.

It looked like some sort of crystalline formation or probably of the same mineral, Alfrei couldn't really tell. What's puzzling him was the fact that it had a different glow in it, unlike the whole obelisk that was basking in the sunlight. Anya's hands were all over the thing, Alfrei knew a story or two about some people putting their hands into something unknown. Perhaps it would be wise if he refrained Miss Head Architect from getting all exited.

"Up until a minute ago, you looked like someone who could use a break but now, you're full of life. Don't get too excited though, who kno--"

Alfrei was not able to finish his sentence when the earth beneath them began to rumble. He immediately grabbed his gun and quickly looked around for trouble. His heart was already pounding at a quickened pace but the sight of the obelisk opening up made him gulp, waiting for something terrible to come out. Anya seemed to have stumbled upon the door's lock which was strangely positioned on the floor.

"Well now... not really a place to put a knob don't you think?" Alfrei asked as he watched thick white smoke come out of the now-open doorway. When the smoke cleared, there stood a pedestal with a floating dark purple orb inside surrounded by what seemed to be an electric field.

Traps maybe?

It was the first thought that crossed Alfrei's mind. Traditional traps like spears coming out of the ground, pit-falls... the works. The thought made him look around the platform where the obelisk stood tall. There seemed to be nothing strange but how the hell would he know? For all Alfrei knows, humans from ancient times couldn't have possibly built such an intricately designed structure.

Only when Alfrei confirmed that there was not another soul aside from him and Anya present on site, he lowered his gun and glanced at the woman.

"Good job on finding something I'm sure is interesting for you."

[xraineyesx]

"Ahh yes, from the artistic point of view, you may call it beautiful. But from my point of view it looks dangerous."

Anya ignored that statement. Obviously the whole island was very dangerous. But this is what she had come to see, this was her field. Tilton was paying her to excavate this dig, and that is what she planned to do. She continued running her hands over the smooth, cold surface, pondering what it could possibly be made from.

"What do you suppose this is made out of?" she inquired, still passing her hands over the material.

Alfrei was ignoring her question.

"Up until a minute ago, you looked like someone who could use a break but now, you're full of life. Don't get too excited though, who kno--"

The earth began to quake beneath their feet and she jumped back. Seeing Alfrei pull his gun out, she tried to imitate his smooth, lightning fast movements but only succeeded in clumsily drawing his gun from the holster around her waist. She held it up and looked around, glancing at Alfrei for direction. And then her eyes landed on the Ruins.

A door was forming, opening and allowing passage into the Ruins.

"Well now... not really a place to put a knob don't you think?"

Anya coughed, fanning the smoke away with her free hand and put the gun back. She shook her head after she finished coughing. "Not a place at all, unless you wanted to keep people out of your stuff," she pointed out and stepped toward the Ruins.

What was inside it fascinated her.

"What is that?" she asked incredulously.

She had never seen anything like it, and she had no idea what physics could be making it work.

"What is that?" she repeated again, more to herself than to Alfrei.

She stood in front of the Ruins, almost in the doorway and peered into it, her lips parted slightly in awe. This was like nothing she had ever seen before... She had done it! She had made her discovery. She had found her fame.

"Alfrei!" she said excitedly, "I've done it!"

She held out her hands palms facing outward and put them through the doorway. There was a faint tingling sensation, she thought, but she might have been imagining it. Or maybe she was trembling from the excitement.

"Well, come on!" she called out, "don't you want to see what it is?" She lifted her leg to step through the entrance-way and put her foot through it. "Alfrei!" she called back again, twisting her head over her should, "c'mon!"

[Ethereal]

"No way I'm touching that thing. Who knows? You could get fried by that weird electric field around it." Aflrei said but walked over to Anya.

In truth, he too was curious about the find. It is not an everyday sight that one gets to see something strange, and Alfrei is definitely not going to miss this chance. He however, remains distant from the object. More than the find that Anya uncovered, his thoughts were focused on Anya's behavior. She was like a child finding that particular object, no matter the origin, which they would most likely call their treasure. It was highly relaxing to see her eyes filled with excitement.

W-wait a minute?! Why am I having this sort of thoughts?!

Alfrei shook his head sideways lightly in a physical attempt to clear his head of unnecessary thoughts. They were in the face of the unknown and it was beckoning them to explore its wonders. The only thing holding Alfrei back was the uncertainty of both their safety. How many times had he seen this in the movies? Even though the movies were pure fiction, their case was a reality.

"I don't think we should touch that Ms. Merdon... I really don't."

He meant what he said, but he was sure Anya's curiosity and excitement would render his words useless. Moving around the pedestal, both he and Anya were now inside the confined space of the obelisk. Surely there's no way they would get sealed in, the knob was outside anyways. Alfrei's hazel hues focused on the serene flow of that faint blue field around the orb. It was almost hypnotizing, somehow beckoning to be touched. But his will shall not be broken. Alfrei's hands remained firmly on his gun and the sword. He could only hope that Anya's thoughts were on the same line as his.

[xraineyesx]

"No way I'm touching that thing. Who knows? You could get fried by that
weird electric field around it."

She laughed at him. "You don't have to touch it, Alfrei. No one said you did."

Stepping all the way into the obelisk, she carefully circled the floating orb without touching it to allow Alfrei room in the obelisk as well. She stared at it in awe. It was beautiful... captivating... She held her hands up and moved them around it without touching it almost as if she was outlining it in the air surrounding it.

"I don't think we should touch that Ms. Merdon... I really don't."

Ignoring him for a moment, she still stared at it.

"I'm not touching it," she said after a silent moment, finally breaking out of the orb's alluring trance.

No, she wasn't touching it... but oh, how she wanted to touch it. She wanted to so badly. "It's so beautiful," she breathed, still moving her hands around it.

She was positive it was making the strange sensation she had felt earlier now. It was more concentrated toward the orb the closer that she got to it.

"Oh!" she gasped, as a sudden gravitational pull dragged her hand downward. She struggled, grabbing her left wrist with her right hand and trying to pull it away. But it was too late.

Her hand slammed down on the orb, jolting her entire body, and glued it there, no mattered how much she struggled. "Alfrei!" she called out, the buzzing sensation coursing through her entire body and make her teeth clack together.

And then the Earth began to rumble again. "Alfrei!" Desperation was apparent in her voice. "What's happening?"

[Ethereal]

"How the hell should I know?! I told you don't touch it!" he yelled and grabbed a hold of Anya, trying to yank her off from the orb.

The earth rumbled, or rather the obelisk did. Space around them began to distort and the orb started to glow fiercely. The electric field around the orb pulsated like it was alive, much like it was in-tune with the human heartbeat. It was when the orb released a bright flash of blue light when a strange sensation began to flood Alfrei's senses. How to describe it? Alfrei was at a loss for words. He felt like he was slowly losing parts of himself and his mind was being dragged elsewhere. When his eyes met Anya's, he was shocked to see only her head, which was rapidly fading into the atmosphere.

"What the fu--"

******

There had been one of those days when Alfrei felt like his body weighed a ton. His brows curled as his consciousness slowly went back to him. Soon his senses started to kick in slowly. There was a mild breeze in the air, the sound of leaves rustling, the feeling of something soft his face was pressed onto and... the smell of a woman's perfume? When Alfrei slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a blur of white and red. When he pushed himself up slightly, it was then that he realized he was comfortably unconscious on Anya's chest.

"Ohh man... What a time to wake up..."

[xraineyesx]

"I didn't touch it!" she shouted back at him angrily. "It made me do it!"

His hand had wrapped around her wrist too and was pulling, but neither of them succeeded in lifting her hands.

"What the hell?" she yelled. "I don't understand what's happening!"

The rumbling continued and she pulled with even more fervor. And still, her hand remained glued to the orb, which had brightened considerably and was pulsating. She glanced at Alfrei and opened her mouth in an "O" shape to scream.


* * *

Anya groaned, slapping one hand to her face and rubbing her eyes. What had happened? She tried to remember. The last thing she recalled was seeing Alfrei's partially existent body and screaming. Wait... Had she actually screamed? She couldn't remember if she made any noise or not.

Something was restricting her breathing. She felt as if a weight was on her chest. Moving her hand away from her eyes and opening them, she saw -

"Alfrei!"

[Ethereal]

After realizing that Anya was awake, Alfrei suddenly felt embarrassed. He pushed himself completely off from her and sat back. He couldn't help but look away, anywhere but her eyes. Although he knew that appearing like that on top of her was out of his hands, he still felt the need to apologize. Clearing his throat before speaking, Alfrei tried to sound like his usual self.

"S-sorry..." he muttered.

The uneasy feeling was suddenly swept away when he started to pay more attention to where they actually were. The sea of trees were gone! Replaced by a wide and seemingly endless plain. Alfrei looked around only to find more of the same. The obelisk was gone and the only thing that was actually there was him and Anya, along with the few things they had with them.

"What the hell...? Where are we...?" he asked nobody in particular.

Alfrei's heart pounded relentlessly inside his chest, a few minutes ago they were inside the structure in the Ruins and the next thing they knew, they were now in the middle of nowhere. Instinct kicked in, Alfrei turned on his comm link only to hear static. He checked if the equipment was broken, only to be proven otherwise. Next thing was his GPS tracker, no good. Frustrated, Alfrei tried his cell but knew the outcome of the attempt.

"Great... we're lost." he said and sighed a long one.

[xraineyesx]

Her cheeks turned their typical rosy pink as Alfrei scrambled to get off her. She looked at the ground, anywhere as long as it wasn't his face. She just couldn't meet his eyes at the moment.

It was embarrassing enough that she had gotten them lost or whatever had happened, but waking up like that was even worse. It just added the insult to the injury.

She heard him speak again after nodding and muttering "it's okay" to his stammered apology.

Lost? Lost? What did he mean lost?

She looked up and turned her eyes all around her and gasped. They were lost. Where in the hell were they? Not back at the Ruins, that much was certain. Nothing looked the same. She couldn't see jungle or the obelisk anywhere.

Pushing herself to her feet, she quickly stood up and stared around her in shock.

"Where are we?" she asked.

[Ethereal]

"Definitely not home." he answered and stood up.

A cool breeze brushed against him as he stared out into the wide open field of grass. A bigger part of him was frustrated yet, a smaller part of him was curious as to where they have been blown off to.

Alfrei fell silent for a moment after looking around. In his mind, the word survival lingered. They had little provisions and the only water they have was that small canister strapped on his hip. With a sigh, he turned and faced Anya, trying his best not to get mad at her or anything that could start a fight between them.

"Alright... we have little food and water. From the looks of things, we'd have to start walking to find water and civilization or worst case, a place we could use for shelter. You also may want to hold onto that gun at all times now that we're on uncharted territory. Remember, point and shoot but don't kill me by accident." he instructed and knelt down to pick up the sword that seemed to have made it along with them.

"Great... a hunting tool." he said to nobody in particular.

Just as he was about to hack his way into the tall blades of grass, the sound of an engine rumbled from above. His attention was instantly caught and he immediately looked up, only to find an aircraft model he'd never seen before. The craft hovered around them and a voice, spoken in unknown language, came screeching from the thing on it he could only assume as a speaker.

Moments later, a group of men came rappelling down from the craft. They were dressed just like the man he killed near the ruins and they wielded the same kind of sword he had in hand, like it was the standard issue weapon for them. Outnumbered and clearly at a disadvantage, Alfrei could only look at Anya and give her whatever little reassurance he could in a lie.

"It's gonna be okay... I think..."

[xraineyesx]

Anya blew out her breath in frustration and put her hands on her hips.

"No shit," she thought inside her own mind. Obviously they weren't at home. They hadn't been at home before ... whatever happened had happened.

Staring up at the sky, she took one hand from her hip and swept her bangs out of her face. Her hair, which had been pulled up out of her face, was messily falling out of the band that held it. She had other things on her mind and more to worry about than some frizzy hair though.

Alfrei turned away from her, silent for a moment, and then turned back, speaking to her again. She frowned at him as he spoke. Another obvious statement. She knew that they didn't have much on them. They hadn't exactly been prepped for a long-lasting field expedition, and they certainly weren't prepped for the unknown.

"I'm not going to kill you by accident," she muttered at him as he finished. How many times did he need to tell her? She wasn't dense, and she wasn't a child.

He had picked up the sword from the man that he had shot earlier, and the memory washed over Anya making her shudder and her throat convulsed into swallowing noisily. The memory would haunt her. She had never seen a dead person much less witnessed their murder.

Glancing back at Alfrei, it was apparent that he meant to cut through the grass and explore. Well... They couldn't stay here. It was better to do something than nothing at all.

But they did not make any progress. A machine, an airplane of some kind, had stormed above them. Hovering in place, she saw men - men who looked exactly like the one Alfrei had shot down - exiting the plane on ropes.

"Alfrei!" she cried out and stepped closer to him, or rather behind him. She pulled her gun, holding it as awkwardly as she had before, and her eyes grew wide with anxiety.

"What do we do?" she whispered, ignoring the reassurance he was offering her.

[Ethereal]

"Nothing. For now at least if we don't want to get killed."

The men had their blades drawn and finally made it to hard earth. Their masks covered their faces and that prevented Alfrei from getting a better judgment if these people were actually murderous bastards or crazed lunatics with swords. With their craft landing a few meters behind Alfrei and Anya, the men cautiously approached while forming a semi-circle before them making sure that escape is futile.

Great... just what we need... trained opponents!

Alfrei's left hand slowly snaked to his sub-machine gun and rested his index finger on the trigger. Should they try anything funny, he would definitely pull the trigger. Of course, he would do just that after pushing Anya down to the ground first. He sighed in relief as the men stood a safe distance away from them and their swords' point met the ground. Once again, the unknown language came from a deep and husky voice within the group. It sounded more like the mask had a voice altering effect on it but nonetheless, their words failed to reach Alfrei.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, but I don't understand a damn thing you're saying." Alfrei replied.

After hearing what he just said, the men started looking at each other like they were surprised. Alfrei's brows curled in confusion but stayed calm, slightly reaching for Anya's waist with his right hand and pulling her behind him.

"I don't know what you guys are but we're not from here and we're definitely not looking for trouble. If this is your land, I understand that we may have trespassed but it's not our fault. It's kind of a long story."

Alfrei was not sure if his words were actually making sense to the guys in front of him but it was worth a shot. Moments later, one of the men took off his mask and the face behind it surprised Alfrei. It was Mr. Tilton!

"Mr. Tilton?! S-sir could you explain why you're wearing strange clothing and speaking like an alien?" Alfrei blurted out almost instantly.

"I do not know who this Tilton is but you speak ancient language. It is forbidden, how did you learn of it? Who are you? How did you get here and why are you here?" the man questioned.

Ancient language? Forbidden? What kind of crap is that?! Since when did Modern English become ancient and forbidden?!

[xraineyesx]

"Nothing. For now at least if we don't want to get killed."

“Okay,” she muttered to him, stunned by his advice. Shouldn't they be trying to run or something? Not that she had any desire to fight, but it seemed strange to let themselves be surrounded and captured. But then... Alfrei did know much more about fighting and the like, and if she didn't want to end up dead, she reasoned with herself, she had better listen to what he said.

The men spoke that strange language. It was so very... odd, so very unfamiliar. But at the same time, she felt as if she might have heard it once or twice. She forgot the thought as her eyes flicked down to Alfrei's hand, which was snaking toward his gun. “Thank God for that,” she thought. At least their – Alfrei's – weapons were far advanced from the sword.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, but I don't understand a damn thing you're saying."

“Me either,” she thought to herself, though she didn't dare to say anything out loud. Alfrei had said to do nothing, and do nothing was exactly what she was going to do.

She felt his hand brush against her, and even in the heat of the circumstances, her face flushed a little bit brighter pink. He tugged her behind him, and she edged along slowly, remembering something someone had said about sudden movements and... well, you weren't supposed to make them, right, in a situation where you were surrounded by dangerous creatures? Or people, in this case?

"I don't know what you guys are but we're not from here and we're definitely not looking for trouble. If this is your land, I understand that we may have trespassed but it's not our fault. It's kind of a long story."

Anya let Alfrei do the talking. What would she say anyway? She peered around him, eyes wide and her mouth closed tight. She could just barely see over his shoulder if she stood on her tiptoes, but that was straining and she kept losing her balance. So she stood flat on her feet and peered around his side. One of the men was removing his mask, only to reveal -

"Mr. Tilton?! S-sir could you explain why you're wearing strange clothing and speaking like an alien?”

“What?” Anya blurted out in spite of herself. And then she closed her mouth tight, thinking to herself, “What the hell is going on? Is this some kind of elaborate joke? Why was Mr. Tilton parading around like this? He would never do something like this.”

She remembered Mr. Tilton in his office, so orderly and dignified. He would – could – never stoop to parading around like a jungle man with a sort just to fuck with his employees. This just wasn't possible.

"I do not know who this Tilton is but you speak ancient language. It is forbidden, how did you learn of it? Who are you? How did you get here and why are you here?"

“Impossible!” she thought as she heard the man speak. Why was Tilton doing this?

“Look,” she said, attempting to step around Alfrei, “I don't know what you're trying to pull or why you're putting us on like this, but English is NOT forbidden or ancient. And besides, you speak it,” she pointed out while pointing a finger at the man.

She glanced at Alfrei, wondering how much to say. “As for our names,” she continued, “I cannot believe you. We are both in your employment, and you know full well our names and what we're doing on this island.”

She stared at him, eyes and face hard and straight. Her hands, however, were shaking, trembling from the fear she felt at being surrounded by all these men.

“And besides all that,” she finished loudly, “who are you, for that matter, and these,” she swept her hand around her, “people, and what are you doing here?”

She swallowed nervously and stepped back beside Alfrei, trying not to run behind him and bury her face is his shoulder to hide from the scene around them.

[Ethereal]

Anya went ahead of herself which made Alfrei loose composure for a moment. She could have pissed off these men and a fight could have broken out! It's a good thing both parties were wary of each other and did not try anything funny. At last, his hand could feel the trigger of his sub-machine gun, now if these people took one movement he didn't like, Alfrei would open fire and fill them with bullet holes.

"Under my employment? You say I know you? Ridiculous! This is the first time I've seen your faces! Something tells me you're not from this world, do you not know where you are?" the man questioned.

Hell, how are they supposed to know where they are?! They got sucked into a vortex of some sort and landed here without knowing anything! Alfrei wondered if the man and the people before them were stupid or not but refrained from voicing out his question. They still have the upper hand if not for that gunship-looking craft behind them. Nonetheless, the man asked a brilliant question, and probably a question worth answering honestly.

"You're right, we do not know where we are and this place certainly isn't our world. Tell us where we are, who and what are you guys." Alfrei asked, still cautious of every movement.

The man looked around for a moment, and then to his men. He spoke that strange language but Alfrei figured he ordered his men to form a perimeter when they spread out and stood on ready as if anticipating something dangerous coming.

"If you truly speak of the truth, then perhaps we are not enemies. This place is called Yrel Qhaicl ub Telayr, or the plains of death in your language. We detected human presence within the area and thought that some people from Anyroniac Viyz wandered here, and then we found you. As for your other questions, it is best for all of us to answer it some other time when we are safe. This place is not called the plains of death for no reason."

Suddenly, one of his men interrupted the conversation by screaming out loud while pointing to where he was facing.

"Lin! Yrelz anel vusicw!"

"Damn it! Faster than we anticipated. If you people want to live, hurry up and board our ship. Time is short, decide while we still have time!"

Surprised, Alfrei looked around and then to Anya. These men were serious and afraid. Alfrei's gut feeling told him that possible danger is approaching and that these men knew of it. There's only one option to take and Alfrei will take it. He did not want to see what was coming for all them and he certainly has no plans of dying here.

"Anya, let's go with them for now. We need information and I don't like the feeling I'm getting."

[xraineyesx]

"Under my employment? You say I know you? Ridiculous! This is the first time I've seen your faces! Something tells me you're not from this world, do you not know where you are?"

Anya rolled her eyes and thought about throwing up her hands, but she refrained. What was he playing at? What was going on here? And most importantly, why the fuck was it going on in the first place? There were so many questions - and there weren't any answers.

She thought about answering him, but Alfrei was already speaking, which might have been better anyway.

"You're right, we do not know where we are and this place certainly isn't our world. Tell us where we are, who and what are you guys."

She heard him utter those words - the truth - and she flicked her eyes to him nervously. Was it wise to admit how little they actually knew? Maybe it was. Maybe these men could help them if they knew that she and Alfrei really were strangers without a clue stuck in a foreign place, speaking a 'forbidden' language.

And then she heard them conversing in their strange speech, and she grew nervous again. Her throat tightened up, making it difficult to swallow, and her stomach clenched, feeling as if it were falling.

"If you truly speak of the truth, then perhaps we are not enemies. This place is called Yrel Qhaicl ub Telayr, or the plains of death in your language. We detected human presence within the area and thought that some people from Anyroniac Viyz wandered here, and then we found you. As for your other questions, it is best for all of us to answer it some other time when we are safe. This place is not called the plains of death for no reason."

Plains of Death? What was this place? Why was it so tribal?

But her thoughts were interrupted by a shout by one of the men. His shout was in his strange speech, but even so, Anya knew that it wasn't good simply by his body language and his tone. It meant trouble.

"Lin! Yrelz anel vusicw!"

"Damn it! Faster than we anticipated. If you people want to live, hurry up and board our ship. Time is short, decide while we still have time!"

What? What was faster than anticipated? Everything was going so fast and being so utterly - well, ridiculous. It was so utterly unreasonable and completely unrealistic, but there was no time to ponder on these things. She looked to Alfrei. Would they follow these men or stay and face whatever unknown danger there was that sent these strangers into such chaos?

"Anya, let's go with them for now. We need information and I don't like the feeling I'm getting."

She nodded, finally swallowing the lump in her throat. "Okay," she managed to utter, reaching her hand out for his when she stopped, blushing. What was this, middle school? She was a big girl now. She didn't need someone to hold her hand all the way, all the time. She let her hand fall, still blushing, and said, "Okay," again more solidly and began marching toward their ship.

Alfrei was right. Information was what they needed - and safety. Their best bet was to go with these men. At least they knew what men were. Whatever it was on these so-called Plains of Death could be anything, and she would rather face the known than the unknown.

She took long strides, her head somewhat down, toward the ship. As she approached it, she realized it was bigger than she had originally thought, and she titled her head up, mouth slightly agape.

"Oh Christ," she muttered. What were they getting themselves into?

"Alfrei?" she asked. The entrance was right before her, but she hesitated to enter it. She glanced at it again and shuffled forward slightly, but it gave her a sense of the ominous, of something sinister and unpleasant lurking within in its dark walls.

[Ethereal]

The heat of the moment forced itself unto Alfrei. Everyone was in a rush to get themselves inside the transport ship that may prove to be the only thing that can save them from the grasp of this world's harbingers of death. But what was coming for them? What could be the reason why these men are so afraid? As Alfrei rushed along with Anya to the transport, he took one good glance behind to see something... inhuman.

His eyes widened, his breath shot out in panic, anxiety and confusion all together. His chest felt like it was being tied into a knot, his heart literally on the verge of bursting. Never in his life had he seen something so dark and ominous, not to mention their ridiculous quantity. What are they? Alfrei thought to himself as he looked forward and forced his legs to carry him faster. He heard one of them shouting in that strange language which only made him feel even more tense and nervous.

"Ronnz! Fel'nel ahsuly uoy ub yisel!"

"Lyany yrel elcwicel! Qnelqanel bun yaxel ubb!"

Everything doesn't make sense but Alfrei could somehow understand what they were saying. If it was him and his men facing this situation, he would no doubt tell the pilot to start the engine for they are running out of time...

"Oh Christ, Alfrei?"

It was Anya with a worried tone. They were before the entrance to salvation and yet she hesitated to board their only ticket to safety. One look inside and Alfrei already knew why. Something is in there... something hideous and dangerous.

"Why hasn't the engine started?!" the man who looked like Mr. Tilton roared as he caught up to Alfrei, Anya and the rest of his men.

"Pz yrel wutl..." he mumbled as soon as he found out the reason.

A pair of white glowing orbs shun brightly from inside the transport ship's cargo area. Soon, a dark figure slowly moved to the outside; soft roars escaping what seemed to be it's... mouth? As if the horror of watching something hideous come out of the dark like a nightmare turning into reality, the thick, red liquid dripping from the mouth of the creature only made the horror even more realistic. Apparently, this creature had a good lunch...

Alfrei was reminded of a creature from their own movies when the being made itself fully visible. It was like the one from Wynona Ryder's science fiction flicks called Alien, only without the weird elongated head, tongue and tail.

"Holy shit! What is that thing?!" Alfrei questioned the man who looked like Mr. Tilton while slowly grabbing Anya's hand and backing away cautiously.

Pincer, a combat strategy where the ones on the offensive opts to attack their prey from two sides. In this case, Alfrei and Anya, along with their supposed saviors were the prey.

"Hey you... there's no time left, more of them are coming to swarm us from behind and there's only one here. Can you fly that thing?" Alfrei quietly asked, still backing away with Anya from the creature.

"I can, but fighting them with only this level of equipment is next to impossible." the man answered.

"Don't worry, take care of this woman and leave the fighting to me." Alfrei responded.

He can fly that thing. It was all he needed to hear. Alfrei had thirty rounds in his MP5 and seven magnum rounds in his pistol. From the looks of that thing, he knew that it wouldn't give him any time to reload. He needed to take it out with what ammunition he currently has loaded. His legs trembled as he swallowed a gulp of air. He had no plans of dying but should he in this situation, at least he would go down fighting. Isolating himself from the group, Alfrei had successfully drawn the creature's attention. It's head tracked his movements as he moved away from the group into a more open space. He could only hope that this thing would not be as fast as what he had in mind.

"Go! Go! Go!" He yelled and fired a quick burst of three from his MP5.

The gunfire startled the creature but it managed to avoid the first few shots from Alfrei. Realizing that it was now out for his blood, Alfrei shifted to full sprint away from the transport ship. The creature was hot on his trail and to his surprise, it was exactly as fast as he predicted.

"Shit!" he cursed, firing another burst aimed at the creature. The thing was insanely agile, dodging bullets while maintaining its speed. Not knowing what was coming for them was a luxury compared to being chased by one. Alfrei suddenly thought about a new line of job if he survives this.

"Fuck! I shouldn't run too far from the ship!" He cursed at his own stupidity and turned around. It was do or die. The creature was coming in fast forcing Alfrei to unload every shell in his MP5's magazine. A few shots managed to tear through the creature but it stayed strong, leaping into the air and preparing to swipe Alfrei with its fearsome claws. Letting his MP5 fall to his side, Alfrei quickly drew his pistol and held his ground, pressing a single thought in his mind as his brows narrowed. The head! The head! The head! Aim for that fucking head!

The creature let out a piercing shriek followed by three deafening gunshots. Alfrei grunted as the weight of the creature crashed down on him. It was a good thing the blood only smelled and was not somehow highly acidic. Spasms of laughter escaped his lips as he lay pinned on the ground by a lifeless creature. He was nearly done in by the sucker but he managed to pull the trigger just in time. However, it was not the time or place to relax, more are coming and he could hear the transport ship's engine roaring to life.

Pushing the dead creature away with all his strength, he managed to free his bloody self and started sprinting back to the ship. It was already hovering above ground when he managed to jump onto the ramp.

"Son of a b**** almost had me..." he huffed between deep breaths.

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