Chapter 55 Crawling Through Darkness

Aria stood before her team, the shadow of the towering Combelt IV units standing behind her. Jacob, Sierra, Lisana, and Enzo were gathered. Aria crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, glancing at the time display on her wrist. 

"Where's the rest of the team?"

The sound of boots echoed through the hangar, pulling her attention to the approaching figures. Ewan strolled up with a casual swagger, West following close behind. They were flanked by two younger faces.

Ewan smiled, spreading his arms wide.

"Guess who’s going with you? That’s right! Me and good ol’ West. Team dynamic just got an upgrade."

"You two? Thought you’d retired from anything remotely dangerous."

"Retirement’s overrated, Hale. Besides, we’re still kicking. We might be not in our prime, but we’ve got experience. That counts for something."

Ewan slapped West on the shoulder, grinning.

 "What he means is, we might be slower than you, but we won’t screw up."

"Fine. Just try don’t get killed." Aria jested.

West stepped aside, gesturing to the two young pilots.

 "These two wanted to join. They’ve got the skills to pull their weight."

The first pilot, a young woman with mean eyes and dark hair pulled back into a tight braid, stepped forward.

 "Cadet Maya Kline," she said crisply, saluting. 

"It’s an honor to join the strike team, ma’am."

The second pilot, a tall man with a buzz cut and an easy grin, gave a more relaxed salute.

 "Second Lieutenant David Harlow. It will be an honor to serve under you, Liana Hale. I didn't get a chance to thank you for saving my life back then, I'm here to return the favor."

"Are you sure about it? It's most likely a suicide mission. There is a great chance we are not coming back. You got family, are you sure about this?" Aria asked.

"I am sure. I will not sit on my butt when I can be out there doing everything I can to protect not only my family but also everyone in the Beehive. I will not wait for some miracle to happen, I will do it myself. You can count on me, I will fight to the end."

“Alright then, listen up everyone. This isn’t a drill, and it’s not a training exercise. What we’re about to do is dangerous! We might not make it! But it’s our best shot at neutralizing this nest before it becomes an unstoppable threat.”

Jacob stepped forward.

 “We’ve got your back, Liana. Just point us where we need to go.”

Aria nodded and unfolded a holographic map.

 “Good. Here’s the plan…”

She outlined the operation.

“Remember! We stick close. No one plays a hero. We go in, deliver the payload, and get out. Alright, everyone. Gear up and get to your mechs. We move out soon.”

The announcement echoed across the military base.

“Attention all units! Major Dyar speaking! Operation Nest Strike is commencing. All personnel to designated positions. Strike team, prepare for deployment. All tank mechs, move out!”

The mechanics ran final checks on the tank mechs. Pilots climbed into their cockpits, the hum of Combelt IVs filling the air. Inside her mech, Aria felt the familiar embrace of the gel-based cockpit system. Her consciousness synced with the machine, her vision now from the tank mech’s perspective.

Dyar’s voice crackled over the comms.

 “This is it, Aria. All units are moving out. Stay sharp out there. Good luck!”

The convoy rolled out heading for the city ruins. The massive tank mechs moved like giants. In the distance, the shattered skyline of the ruins came into view.

As the tank mechs entered the ruins, the ground seemed to shift and tremble. Mutants began emerging, their screeches echoing off the crumbling buildings. The first wave of mutants charged.

The clash was immediate and brutal. Tank mechs fired bursts of Vallen particles and cannon rounds, tearing through the mutant horde. Explosions lit up the battlefield, debris flying as the battle raged. For every mutant felled, more seemed to rise from the holes in the ground.

Aria’s voice cut through the comms.

 “Strike team, follow me. We’re going around.”

While the main forces kept the mutants engaged, Aria led her team through the ruins, circling to the entrance of a strategic tunnel. The path was tight, the tunnel’s entrance barely wide enough for their mechs, scraping the edges as they advanced. It was dark, the narrow walls pressing in. The only light came from the mechs’ mounted beams and the faint glow of bio-luminescent fungi lining the walls.

“Stay sharp!” Aria warned. 

“Scans show this tunnel leads directly to the core, but we’re not alone down here.”

Mutants began to appear in the tunnel ahead. Tier 2 creatures adapted to the underground environment - Reapers. The team opened fire, Vallen particle shots lighting up the tunnel as they fought their way forward. The tight quarters worked to their advantage, limiting the mutants’ ability to swarm.

As they descended, the heat increased, and the walls began to widen. Finally, they emerged into a massive hollowed-out chamber. The nest’s core was a terrifying sight. A cavernous space filled with pulsing, organic structures, like a living organism feeding on the cavern. Mutant tunnels honeycombed the walls, openings scattered in the walls.

“Block the entrances, now! Open fire before mutants show up!”

The team unleashed their swarm missiles, targeting the tunnels. Explosions rocked the chamber as the entrances began to collapse, sending clouds of dust into the air. Mutants screamed from within the collapsing tunnels, their cries fading as the paths were sealed.

Aria’s voice came over the comms.

 “That should buy us time. Let’s get this payload set!”

As the team worked to position the explosive charge at the core’s most vulnerable point, mutant screeches echoed faintly from the sealed tunnels, a reminder that their time was limited.

Aria kept her mech positioned defensively, scanning for any signs of movement. 

“Hurry it up. We’re not alone down here.”

The cavern shook violently as one of the larger tunnel entrances exploded, a cloud of dust filling the chamber. The strike team instinctively turned their weapons toward the disturbance, but what emerged from the cloud of dust froze them in place.

Raptor 01.

The mutant stomped into the open, its body visibly scarred but recovered. Its severed arm had regenerated into a grotesque clawed limb, and the wounds on its chest and head were now mottled scars, pulsing faintly with sickly bioluminescence. Behind it, a pack of Velkys screeched and snarled, their legs clattering against the cavern floor.

Aria’s voice cut through the comms.

 “Stay focused. Do not engage! Mutants haven't noticed us yet! We need as much time as possible, we need to arm the explosives and get out of here, not start a fight! If Raptor 01 notices us, then we engage.”

Jacob’s voice crackled through the comms. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me… Is that Raptor 01?!”

But before anyone could act, the ground rumbled again. A new, heavier sound echoed from the darkness of the tunnel behind Raptor 01. Slow, quaking steps. A hulking shadow emerged, growing larger with each tremor until it filled the entrance.