Chapter 28 Breaching Helios-9

Inside the car, everyone was rattled. Shujinko, Akarui, and Makiko groaned, their bodies bruised but miraculously intact. Shachiku, however, was already outside the car, lying on the ground a few feet away. His briefcase was still clutched tightly in his hand. He pushed himself up, his face calm.

“Hey! Kids! Are you alright?! Get out of the car before more of them show up! We need to move!”

The trio crawled out of the wreckage, their movements slow and unsteady. They were covered in scrapes and bruises, but nothing seemed broken.

  “We’re seem to be fine, ouch,” Shujinko said, wincing as he stood up.

  “Just a little banged up.”

But before they could catch their breath, another crystalline creature appeared. Its glowing eyes locked onto them, and it lunged forward with terrifying speed. Its claw pierced through the air like a javelin, aimed straight at Makiko.

“Look out!” 

Shachiku reacted instantly, jumping in front of the attack. He raised his briefcase, blocking the claw just in time. But the force behind the attack was overwhelming. The impact sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the side of a parked car. The briefcase clattered to the ground beside him.

“God damn it!” Shachiku gasped, clutching his side. 

“These things are strong!”

The creature shifted its focus to him, its hollow eyes glowing with an eerie light. It approached slowly, its claw raised and ready to strike. Shachiku pushed himself up, his movements sluggish from the impact. He knew he couldn’t outrun it, and the only option left was to fight back.

He lifted his fists up, his briefcase in one hand and shouted, "Alright, ugly! You want to fight?! I will give you a fight! Come on, motherfucker, come on! Don't underestimate an angry salary man, or you will regret it!"

Just as the creature lunged and Shachiku winded up a wide swing, a deafening gunshot echoed through the streets. The sound was as loud as if a tank was firing, and the force of the shot blew a massive hole through the creature’s chest. The monster looked down at the gaping wound, its body crumbling into pieces before collapsing to the ground.

Right after the shot, a loud, cocky shout came from high up on the highway.

  “Hey! Yo! We meet again, Firestorm! This has to be some destiny bullshit! Now we really need to hook up!”

Makiko’s eyes narrowed as she recognized that smug, obnoxious voice. It was the same soldier from the other day—the one who had hit on her in the most cringe-worthy attempt she had ever experienced. She groaned, her face twisting in annoyance. 

“Oh, great. It’s him, Mr. Boner.”

The soldier, a tall man with a cocky grin and a military uniform that looked like mercenaries, leaned over the edge of the highway, waving enthusiastically. Before he could say anything else, another man walked up behind him and slapped him over the head.

  “Knock it off, idiot! Before Major ripped you a new one! We’ve got a job to do! Let's go!”

Shachiku frowned, his sharp eyes scanning the two figures.

  “Who the hell are they? These guys don’t look like military. More like hired mercenaries.”

Makiko crossed her arms, her expression annoyed.

  “Yeah, one of them beat up Shujinko. I doubt they’re from the military either.”

Akarui chimed in. 

“I think we better move before more of those creatures show up. Worrying about them isn’t going to help us.”

Shachiku agreed. He looked around at the cars parked nearby and spotted one with spear keys. Without hesitation, he slammed the window with his briefcase, reached inside, and unlocked the door. 

“Get in. This side of the highway is blocked now, so we’ll have to take a longer route. We need to keep moving.”

The group piled into the car, Shachiku taking the wheel once again. As they drove away from the wreckage, the scene around them grew eerily quiet. The destruction on this side of the highway was less severe, but the signs of battle were everywhere. 

As they got closer to Helios-9, the devastation became more pronounced. The ground was littered with piles of red crystals, each one marking where a soldier had fallen. Guns and military equipment lay scattered nearby, their owners nowhere to be seen. It was clear that the military had tried to hold the line, but whatever they were fighting had overwhelmed them.

Akarui stared out the window, his face pale.

  “This… this is bad. Really bad. If the military couldn’t stop these things, what chance do we have?”

Shujinko shouted, “We don’t have a choice. If we don’t find out what’s happening at Helios-9, this is going to spread. And if it does, there won’t be anywhere left to run. Professor Ichiban! I found her notes; she mentioned a cure in her notebook. We need to at least try.”

Makiko leaned forward, “Do you really think we can stop this? Whatever’s causing it… do you think we can fix it?”

Shachiku glanced at them in the rearview mirror.

  “Wait, you all know Dr. Ichiban?”

Shujinko nodded, “Yeah, she’s a professor at the university we go to. Two weeks ago, she entered Helios-9, and we never heard from her again. Today, we couldn’t wait any longer and went to her office to look for clues when… well, you saw what happened. But how do you know her?”

Shachiku’s lips twitched into a faint smirk.

  “I was responsible for her purchases. She’s been using our company for almost six years now. I came here every month to deliver what she ordered. I know the layout of the place well enough. If we get inside somehow, I might be able to give you a tour.”

“Oh, great. We’ve got Ichiban’s boyfriend on the team.” 

She nudged Shujinko, her tone teasing. 

“Looks like you weren’t her favorite after all.”

“Focus, kids. We’re not out of this yet. If we’re going to Helios-9, we need a plan. And trust me, it’s not going to be easy getting in there. If anyone wants to go back, now's the time.”

“I don't care! I’m not leaving,” Akarui suddenly said.

  “Not until I find my dad. He’s out there somewhere. I left my brother to die… I’m not running again. I’ll find him, even if it kills me.”

Akarui stared out the car window, his hands clenched into fists as they passed the remains of fallen soldiers. The sight of the red crystalline piles and abandoned military equipment hit him harder than he expected. His father was a high-ranking soldier, and the thought of him being out there—dead or alive—gnawed at Akarui’s conscience.

Makiko turned to him. She had no personal stake in this town—her parents lived in another city, and she had no real ties here. But seeing Akarui, she knew she couldn’t just walk away.

  “I’ve got nothing here. No family, no place to go. If you’re heading into Helios-9, I’m coming with you. No way I’m letting you guys go there alone, besides, even if I step outside the car, where would I go? I rather stay with you guys.”

Just as the main gates of Helios-9 came into view, the group heard a series of loud noises—concrete cracking and exploding, followed by the gunshots. Muzzle flashes flickered in the distance, and faint shouts echoed through the air.

 Shachiku immediately parked the car.

 “Get out of the car. We need to get closer on foot and see what’s going on. It’s been quite so far; it looks like these uglies are mostly concentrated in the town.”

Akarui was the first to move. He slipped out of the car and crouched low, sneaking along the wall toward the gates. When he reached the edge, he peeked around the corner, his eyes scanning the scene. After a moment, he motioned for the others to approach.

The site was eerily empty of people. Military tents lay ripped and abandoned, their fabric flapping in the wind. Piles of red crystals littered the ground, each one marking where a soldier had fallen. But what caught their attention was the massive blast doors of Helios-9—doors that were supposed to keep the facility locked tight in its concrete coffin—were wide open.

Near the entrance, three Humvees were parked, their engines still warm. Piles of spent bullet casings lay scattered on the ground, the smell of gunpowder lingering in the air. It was clear that someone had been here just moments ago and had entered the facility.