Original Writing: Facility 57

FACILITY 57

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    Moisture cascaded through the subterranean air of the tunnel, heaving with humidity like the amazon in the rainy season. The rock walls were draped in curtains of moss and lichen, all thriving on the artificial lights installed by humans. Lights that now flickered with the randomness of the power surges. The flickering made phantoms out of shadows, heightening the sense of danger and the excessive need for vigilance.
    The Facility Alpha Security Team, or FAST, unit took a measured pace down the long corridor, its eight members maintaining a safe distance between one another in case of ambush. Captain Rick Hunter led from the front, the way he was taught during his military days, when his mission was simple. Not that his mission was different now, because it was essentially the same. Provide security and contain or eliminate the threat. The only difference was the threat.
    In Iraq and Afghanistan, he earned the nickname "Hellfire" Hunter for his rambunctious operations against insurgent forces. Hunter cracked a grin as he thought back to those days. Who would have thought that taking on extremist insurgents was a walk in the park? That was in comparison to what he now faced.
    Corporal Garrison, the teams forward scout, brought him back to the present in a blast of radio static. "Cheetah One, this is Hawkeye."
    Several of the team snickered at the call signs and Hunter waved them down for silence. "This is Cheetah One, report."
    "I've taken up position on the lookout above the Coliseum cargo landing, looks like all subjects have broken containment. It's a free for all down here."
    "Do you see anyone alive?"
    "Negative. The rest of the path is clear to my position."
    "Roger that. Hold tight, we're oscar-mike. Out."
    The mic clicked off and Hunter gave the hand signal to move out. He picked up his speed, but not entirely. Just because Garrison said the coast was clear before, didn't mean it was now. The Facility had more than one horror show going on at a time and Hunter had no idea which ones were still contained.
    A stale, sickly odor began to infiltrate his nostrils as the team neared the Coliseum. The massive cavern was a natural formation cut into the rock by geologic processes unknown to him, but it sure as hell impressed him. They were in the main service corridor which led from the freight elevators to the rear of the Coliseum, which was actually known as Research Area 12-C. RA 12-C was only halfway down into the bowels of Facility 57. Even after working here for a year. Hunter could not fathom the vastness of the operation. If the public had any idea what was going on here...Hunter shook his head, they would never know. It was his job to keep it that way.
    The odor thickened in something almost tangible as he signaled a halt at the Coliseum's door. The massive wall of steel was partially open, stuck without enough power for it to completely retract into the recess cut into the granite.
    As Hunter investigated the door, Sergeant Mendez spit on the ground in a curse. "Captain, what the fuck did that?"
    Hunter looked to his NCO and followed her gaze through the opening. He resisted the urge to react, needing to stay calm and collected for his team or any civilians they encountered. The metal grating lining the floor on the other side was slashed with giant gaping tears, as if clawed apart my massive talons. Shattered fragments of rock and debris littered the area. All of which was coasted in the iron red sheen of blood.
    "Garrison didn't mention this shit," Mendez barked.
    "Easy, Sergeant. If there wasn't an immediate threat, Garrison wasn't going to waste words." Hunter beckoned his two junior members forward. "Davis, Rice. Go check it out, see if you can spot Garrison."
    "Yes sir," Rice answered for them as they took off through the gap between steel and stone.
    Hunter watched them move off, covering their sectors with their rifles. These men were well trained, former military all. He was confident in their abilities, but none of them really understood what they were up against. Not yet.
    "Jones, try to contact HQ again."
    "On it, sir."
    Hunter kept his eyes on the gateway ahead as Jones fiddled with the coms. After a minute of supernatural silence, he tore his gaze away and back to Jones.
    "Sir, I don't have shit. We're in too deep and without power to the repeaters, I can't see how we can make contact."
Mendez grumbled something under her breath and Hunter snapped around to her, feeling the building tension. "Something you want to say, sergeant?"
    Mendez stood her ground. "Sir this is fucked. The maintenance teams should have had power restored by now, or at least backup power. And now we got blood everywhere and something with claws like a dragon."
    "Technical shit takes time and that ain't our job. Our job is to secure civilians and get them back to the depot. Do you get me?"
Mendez narrowed her eyes but kept her retort in check. "I get you, sir."
    Hunter nodded and tapped his mic. "Rice, what's your status?" He waited a minute without response. "God damnit. Davis, Garrison, come in."
    Only static answered.
    "Fuck this cave," Hunter mumbled. "Ok, team let's move. Scott takes point with the SAW, Mendez with me, Brown and Jones take the rear."
    The team pushed forward, eyes darting every which way, snapping to at any sign of movement. Even the barest whisper of a water droplet turned their attention. Ahead of them was a wide shelf of rock, like a balcony of the Emperors of Rome, overlooking the Coliseum. Pieces of equipment and storage containers lay haphazardly across the surface of the cargo landing, as if they were rapidly abandoned in transit.
    Scott moved up toward the ledge, taking a defensive position. Mendez went to the right as the other took up rearguard positions. Hunter scanned the area for any sign of threat.
    Finding none, he moved toward the edge of the shelf, feeling his heart beat faster. He signaled the team to be silent as he dropped down into a crawl and push forward until he could peer into the Coliseum.
    Hunter, despite his discipline, could not maintain his silence with the sight that greeted him. "Holy shit." To be briefed on it was one thing, but actually seeing what the Facility scientists created was a fucking shift. And those nerds talked about it like it was no big deal.
    Stretching away into the distance was an underground world straight out of Jules Verne. A cavern so large that the other side was invisible, even with the ceiling blooming with artificial light. Light derived from some form of bioluminescent microorganism that Hunter didn't understand. If that alone was not awe-inspiring enough, the verdant greenery of a complete forest ecosystem several miles underground took the cake.
    Instinct and training took the reins from amazement, forcing Hunter to analyze the new environment for threats. His hawk like gaze shifted around the periphery, searching for his missing team members. Garrison had said that he was in the lookout tower on the landing. It was easy enough to find, even it was not actually on the landing.
Hunter pulled out his compact binoculars, the latest issue from HQ, and aimed them at the tower. It took him a second to get them adjusted and when he did, the high-density glass flashed crimson. The top of the tower appeared intact except the side rails, which were torn outward in the same slashing pattern as the metal grating on the cargo landing. The stainless steel was painted red with blood, and it had to be Garrison's.
    "Fuck me." Hunter whispered and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge. The hunter had become the hunted.
    Scott must have heard him, and he turned to face the tower. Hunter pulled back from the ledge and was about to signal them to fall back when his ears filled with the sickening sound of leathery wings and the pervasive musky odor of a carnivore.
    Before he could react a gust of wind pressed down on him as something large swooped down overhead. Scott bellowed in pain as the monstrosity speared into him with sickle claws. The reptilian flying death tried to get airborne with its prey but found Scott's linebacker frame too much to hand. It retracted its hideous swords and made to fly off for another pass.
    Hunter came to his senses first and brought his rifle to bear. He opened fire, allowing his muscle memory to take over as he emptied the magazine into the demon. Mendez and the other followed suit and lit up the cavern with suppressing fire, giving him time to get to his feet and make a run for the injured Scott.
    Before Hunter could reach him, the monster let out a siren shriek and spasmed in the air. Its limbs went slack, and the monster crashed into the rock below with a wet thud.
    "What the holy fuck was that thing?" Mendez did not take her eyes off of its corpse and she kept he rifle aimed and ready.
    Scott groaned, blood bubbling from the corners of his lips. Hunter knelt down and investigated the wounds. He instinctively knew that Scott was not going to make it.
    Anger surged up in him. No one could have prepared them for this. He was not even allowed to describe the horrors they would face until they faced them. It had cost him four good soldiers.
    Hunter looked at Mendez, Brown, and Jones. They were frightened, but resolute. They had a mission and they wanted to finish it.
    "There is something I need to tell you," Hunter pointed to the corpse of the saurian demon which had effortlessly picked off three highly skilled soldiers without a sound. "That thing there, well it's the least of our worries."

I just came up with this off the top when I was sitting at work. There have been no revisions or editing, so it might not be the best prose. It is fun though!