Chapter XXIV: Emission and ambush forging a new alliance

 The battle for lab X-8 had been a hard-fought one for Boris and Dima, but they had gotten out with all of the information they needed. Emerging into the light of day, the Outskirts were a welcome sight for the pair. Dima suggested that they take a quick break before heading to Griffin and Strelok to deposit their treasures, and Boris agreed. They set up a small campfire, Dima using his last few matches to light it up. While Boris used the fire to cook some meat he had harvested from a flesh earlier, Dima started fixing his suit, badly beaten by the canned tomato grenades.

• So, when we talked with Griffin, you mentioned that Dushman was the reason your squad was killed. I don't mean to open old wounds but could you elaborate on that? Boris asked, cautiously.

At first, Dima did not answer. He had taken of his SEVA helmet, and Boris could see his face darken a bit. He let out a long sigh and started telling his story. Dushman had given his group intel on a big target, a group of bloodsuckers that had killed plenty of Freedom and Loner hunters. They had placed a bounty on the group, and despite the bad blood between mercs and loners, they were willing to play any merc who'd kill the bloodsuckers and stop their rein of terror. Dima's squad leader, Artyom Romantic, had taken the job, and Dima and his friend Tolik Bling-Bling had agreed to join him. Dushman had told them that the group of bloodsuckers were last seen wounded, and would be easy pickings. He even had direct location for the bloodsuckers.

• We set up an ambush for the bastards, and since Artyom told us that there would be three gravely wounded bloodsuckers, we relaxed a little. Dushman had been absolutely certain that there'd only been three wounded ones, yet we were suddenly attacked by 4 non-wounded ones. I killed one of them while they tore my companions apart, and they ran off into the night. I went looking for them, mad with rage. I only found the three wounded ones and killed them, ripping them apart with a knife. You and Rogue helped me take my revenge on the beasts, but goddamn Dushman gave us really bad intel, and I refuse to work for him ever again, Dima said, his face a mask of fury Boris had rarely seen before.

Boris thanked him of sharing this, even if it was not something Dima might've wanted to share. A silence fell between the men, both pondering their individual things. Boris wondered if he could share his story with the merc. He was still worried of telling people of his renegade past. He had gotten lucky with Dushman accepting him into the mercs, but this would probably not be the case in most other situations.

Dima coughed and stood up. He suggested that they get moving, his suit now in good condition again, only remains of the battle being small red stains of tomatoes on his suit. Boris nodded and rose up, his leg feeling weak. A mutant had caused a wound there during the battle to save Dima, and it was still not healed. Continuous combat was not helping much. He'd have to check on it later, but now they needed to get going.

The pair excited the service center and made their way to the laundromat. Stitch and Rogue greeted them, Stitch in his jovial manner, Rogue characteristically taciturnly. Strelok meanwhile was cleaning his SIG sniper upstairs, completely focused on the task when Boris slammed the documents on his desk. Strelok looked up.

• So, how was it? Fun?, he asked, his tone quite uninterested. He took the documents and leafed through it.

• I dunno, would you rate fun as being pelted with household items, ammunition packs and canned food? Boris replied in a tired tone.

• Well, it does sound like fun but I'll give it a pass. Thanks for this though, it's much more use than I thought it'd be. I presumed this to be a dead end, Strelok said and closed the document file.

• You sent us to collect a document in the middle of a deadly lab, and it could've been worthless?, Dima exclaimed, clearly annoyed, his annoyance boosted even further by exhaustion.

• Hey, I've been stabbed in back by mercs a lot of times, I needed to know if I could trust you guys. It's not like there's that many mercs who openly help stalkers, especially ones you could get a pretty penny for killing, like me, Strelok responded. Boris nodded to this, while Dima seemed to calm a little.

Strelok told them that he'd need some time to prepare and make some plans, so if they had somethings left unfinished in the larger world this was the perfect time to do so. Boris and Dima left the room, and Dima turned to Boris.

• So what now? Any ideas big man?

• I've got something I've been meaning to do, left unfinished in the Meadow for quite some time. If I left now, I could make it there in time to do it. What do you plan to do then? Boris responded, deep in thought.

• The Meadow? What do you have to do there? There's nothing of value or interest. And I have no idea. I don't fancy returning to Dead City, and neither do I want to join the mercs at the book store either. So, you mind me tagging along for the journey to Meadow? I want to see what is so important for Boris Unforgiven to drag his ass all the way there.

Boris hesitated. Taking Dima along would mean revealing his plan to the merc, but could he trust him? It was time to decide, and Boris decided for it. It was time to get some more allies.

• Okay. I will have to explain some things along the way, but I hope you'll bear my ramblings. Let's get going then, we can get those documents to Griffin later.

The pair set off, Boris explaining his story along the way and carefully examining Dima's reactions. They travelled using all the most discreet paths of the Zone, avoiding contact with humans. Occasionally Boris had to cease his story for a few minutes as they drove off packs of dogs or fought boars that tried to ambush them, but their guns kept them safe from further harm. They were only a kilometre away from entering Meadow when a thundering sound crackled across the sky, clouds turning red and odd-looking flares shooting across the horizon. An emission was coming.

They ran for cover as quickly as they could, full of panic only an emission or psi-storm could create in a stalker. The booming sounds and ethereal howling filled the air, when Boris and Dima finally reached the safety of a farmhouse. Boris struggled to light a fire but eventually succeeded, and they sat next to it for even a little bit of shelter from the catastrophic rage of the Zone itself. The emission went on longer than normal, roaring like a pissed-off god and almost tearing the farmhouse apart, but slowly, it started to dissipate. Throughout all this Boris could not continue his story and could only wonder what Dima thought of him now. Dima seemed like he was deep in thought, his gaze firmly placed into the campfire.

Slowly the wrathful storm started to dissipate. When the last roar of the emission faded away and the sky turned clearer, Boris stepped outside. It had started to rain, the downpour being deafeningly loud. Suddenly, Boris saw a bullet strike the farmhouse wall next to him and leaped back inside, yelling to Dima to take cover. They took up positions in the windows, trying to pin down where the fire was coming. Swarms of bullets struck the farmhouse from outside all around the windows, but the rain made it hard to see where exactly the fire was coming from. Despite the clear firing, ominously no shots could be heard.

Boris looked up to the attic and pointed to Dima that he'd try to reach it. Dima nodded and started spraying wildly into the bushes nearby for suppression. Boris climbed the ladder up to the attic and once there, used a hole in the roof to slightly peek out. Finally he could see their adversaries. A large squad of Monoliths, possibly five in numbers, closed in on them, guns drawn. One was firing a VSS marksman rifle into the house while others moved in. Boris took out his AKMN as slowly as he could and used the Tulip scope to fire one precision shot at the sniper. The Monolith warriors head caved in and he collapsed there, breathless.

The others scattered and two ended up in Dima's fireline. Quick on the trigger, he killed them both with his Val, his 9x39 rounds making short work of their insides. Boris had lost sight of the other survivor, but he could see the other one taking cover. The survivor was hiding behind a tree and kept firing some assault rifle at them, keeping both Boris and Dima occupied. Dima was fully concentrated on him, firing his Val at the tree and trying to hit the Monolith when he peaked out to shoot. Suddenly, Boris noticed movement at the corner of his eye. The last Monolith was sneaking up on Dima, his rifle held high. Dima was still firing at the other warrior and did not notice him. Boris leaped down on top of the warrior, swinging his kukri wildly. Dima only then realized the danger he was in, and turned around, but Boris' kukri had already pierced the Monolith warriors lungs and heart.

Without stopping, Boris charged outside, and firing his AKMN magazine at the tree the Monolith was hiding behind, he managed to end the last attacker. They had lived to survive another day, despite the ambush. Never in a million years would he have expected an ambush right after an emission, but now he had seen that too. He returned to the farmhouse to find Dima catching his breath.

• Okay, I wasn't sure about you, Boris. You seem to be a bit of an ambitious fellow, but never would I have guessed what you have in mind. Now, your plan is kind of ridiculous and risky as all hell, but I guess I owe you now since you just saved me from that fanatic. And it's not like I have many places to go anymore. So, count me in, you madman, Dima said before Boris could say anything, sounding somehow both amused and serious at the same time.

Boris felt a great relief wash over him. This was exactly what he had wished for. Boris thanked Dima wholeheartedly for his decision. Perhaps his plan could now come to fruition. But he would have to find out by keeping up the pace, and the next step lay in the Meadow.