Chapter CXX: Raid at the Break of Dawn

 Under the heavy, dark clouds of the Zone sky, Pripyat stood still, the watchful eyes of the Monolith gazing over it. The last years had been a roller coaster for the faction, raising from the ashes and reigniting the psychically dangerous facilities. Only for them to be shut down last year, their most cabable warrior getting killed in the process and their most precious relic stolen from the CNPP. Rise of Sin had provided some hope for them, as new allies were sorely needed in their difficult situation. While Sin did not accomplish their goal of dominating Europe, Monolith gained many a new recruit in the newly-dubbed Third Emission.

These thoughts did not bother warrior-adept Lyoshka. He was a fresh adept, having earned his enlightenment just weeks ago. The fire of faith burned in him as bright as the most devout Preacher. There was only the commands of Monolith, the holy word of Wish Granter, and thus even in guard duty, he was partially immersed in prayer.

• Oh Monolith, we thank you for revealing to us the cunning plans of our enemies..., he recited, but his prayer was cut midway through as a long, shining blade struck out of his chest. Adept Lyoshka was no more.

• Seems like your Monolith did not reveal to you the cunning plans of your enemies today. Goddamn lunatics, Leva hissed while withdrawing his blade.

• Blame not those who have been led astray, but those but who led them, Psoglav whispered behind him.

• What, blame a glowy rock for being an idiot magnet?, Leva scoffed.

• Uh... Fair point, Psoglav replied hesitantly, but Leva laughed at this, smacking the former Sinner on the shoulder.

• I'm just messing with you kid, I know what you mean. Now, let's get a move on, the others are probably racing for the objective already, Leva said in a paternal tone, wholly uncharacteristic to him, and Psoglav relaxed slightly.

The pair of Redemption stalkers crossed the empty roads carefully, eyeing the nearby windows with suspicion. The athmosphere was heavy around the city, with cloud cover making everything look gloomy and dark. This darkness did help them, however, as it made spotting them harder. The quiet city did unnerve the stalkers however, as only audible sound came from the creaking Ferris wheel nearby. The duo made it into the building overlooking the Palace of Culture. Toha was already there with Reefer and Grishka, his SV-98 swaying from side to side as it tracked targets and relayed their positions to Dimuha and Valik. The two Redemption leaders were in positions, Dimuha using his suppressed SVDS to kill Monolith troops that strayed too far from their base while Valik took a more direct approach.

• You Redemption boys have really evolved from that raid into the Scorcher we did, I rarely see this sort of coordination even with mercs, Grishka whispered to Leva and Psoglav as they stepped into the room.

• In this line of work, it's adapt or die. Besides, Dimuha trained us well. How's it going, Toha?, Leva answered very quietly.

• Dimuha got two guards on the left side, Valik got another one on the right, near Polissiya. I think we can move in soon, the Redemption sniper replied, not raising his head off the scope.

• Got it. Reefer, contact Stepukha and tell him to get ready and kick the Freedomers into gear, those guys are probably high already given that we've waited this long, Leva ordered, and Reefer relayed this order into the short-range radio he was carrying.

• Hey, Freedom doesn't use drugs during missions, only to calm down after them. We're not some druggies, Grishka protested.

• Never have I heard such utter bullshit, Reefer scoffed and the Redemption members laughed.

Before Grishka could turn the conversation into a debate, an explosion came from behind the Palace of Culture. Leva looked at the others and nodded, the team rushing out of the room with only Toha remaining at the position with his sniper. The Palace of Culture erupted into action. A couple hours ago, as Garry led Redemption force into Pripyat, the usually extremely strong garrison in the city was weakened as most of it was sent to the Outskirts. Major Tarasov and Strelok had led multiple attacks against Monolith troops there, and there were also reports of unknown forces fighting for the control of the hospital there. Now, the Monolith forces in Pripyat would come to regret this move.

Around dozen Monolith warriors were left in the Palace, and now they moved into position along the many sandbag fortifications. Dimuha watched them do this and grinned, right as he had planned. He was on top of the hotel, looking directly down into the backs of the zealots. The entrance to lab X-9 was somewhere inside the Palace according to Psoglav, and completely destroying the local garrison would give the small force enough time to locate the laboratory and use the teleporter hopefully. With victory in his mind, he squeezed the trigger with glee. A suppressed shot rang out, and the bullet shattered the spine of a fanatic. He fell down without a sound, and his comrades turned to look for the source of the shot.

Stepukha on the ground level had awaited this, and he now rose up from behind the crashed cars blocking the road to the tunnel garage, right opposite the hotel. The RPK soon begun to chatter in a lethal tone, joined by the Western guns of Danila, Borya, Stepa and Arthur. Fire poured into the distracted Monolith troops, and they stood no chance. Their futile attemps to return fire were quelled quickly, and with the opposition decimated, Stepukha led his patrol onwards, occupying the same position the Monolith had mere seconds ago.

• Goddamn this exoskeleton is awesome, I should've gotten myself one years ago, Stepukha exclaimed, enjoying the feeling of power his renegade exoskeleton frame gave him.

• It does look like it's going to blow up any second now, Arthur commented.

• And like some madman inventor cobbled it together out of spite, Danila added.

• I wouldn't touch it with a ten-metre pole, Stepa sais scornfully.

• Indeed, compare it to this fine specimen I have and despair, Borya chuckled, looking at his Nosorog armour.

• Fuck all of you, Stepukha growled and smacked the RPK on top of the sandbags, preparing to support Leva's advance.

And advance they did. Toha had decided not to be outdone by his leader, and his sniper kept picking off or suppressing the fanatical but surprised defenders. Leva, Psoglav and Reefer closed in, while Grishka tossed both live and smoke grenades ahead of them to cover. Dimuha observed this assault on the rooftop with pride. Even in their darkest hour, without their most experienced leaders, the faction was fighting like lions. With a little help from Freedom of course. The Monolith forces fell back into the Palace, three fanatics dragging behind a wounded zealot, who even in his wounded state fired a pistol at the advancing Redeemed. Dimuha knew that it was time to press the advantage and left the roof, joining Stepukha on the ground level.

• Look who decided to show up! You got stuck enjoying the scenery or what?, Stepukha asked in jest.

• Sure, that attack was textbook stuff. But it isn't over yet. Freedom boys, go fetch Grishka and prepare to hold the Palace, we're storming in now!, Dimuha replied, and the flecktarn-clad stalkers nodded in unison.

Stepukha and Dimuha caught up to their men at the main entrance to the Palace of Culture, where Vova and Zakarov had also arrived to patch up Leva. Dimuha looked at him questioningly, but the ex-merc gave him a thumbs up, the wound wasn't bad, mere graze. Reefer was blasting inside with his TOZ shotgun, filling the corridors with lead as an area denial method. Toha sprinted across the road now that Freedom had taken position in his old sniper's nest, swapping into his Volkspistole in anticipation of close-quarters combat.

• Alright. You know the plan. Stepukha takes the upper floor, my squad clears the lower floor. Don't try to take prisoners unless you want shrapnel in your eyes. Onwards!, Dimuha ordered and led his squad in.

He had taken out his Groza now, and a brave but unfortunate Monolith soon felt his rage as the man tried to intercept the Redemption regent. Dimuha shot a burst right through his armour and smacked the dying man with his rifle butt to stop the cultist from drawing a grenade. Reefer secured the inner yard, finishing off the wounded Monolith soldier and another one trying to heal the warrior. The medic was only armed with a Colt pistol, and as he tried to raise it, Reefer cut him down.

• That's one more warcrime to the list, Reefer said in a remorseful tone to Dimuha.

• Monolith don't count. If we let them live, they go on murdering stalkers forever, Dimuha replied, trying to convey sympathy in his voice.

• Doesn't make it any easier.

• No, it really doesn't. Sometimes even I wonder if anyone truly is worth redemption in this wretched place. We're all just bastards, Dimuha sighed.

• Better not get philosophical now! Contact left!, Valik shouted, retreating into the yard where the two stalkers stood, a Monolith soldier following him.

The warrior did not get far, as Reefer and Dimuha both opened fire and struck him down. All over the complex, gunshots echoed as the Redemption members struck their enemies with fury. Their behaviour mirrored the one in Limansk, an understanding that they were fighting for a personal cause and would each die to see things through. Psoglav chief among them, armed with a mere Papasha submachine gun, he fought his former comrades-in-arms with a silent rage that unnerved Leva and Vova advancing alongside him. The halls soon turned crimson from the blood of the fanatics, their most sacred fortress after the holy Power Plant desecrated by Redemption.

Dimuha took Reefer with him and they marched into the Monolith's basement room guns drawn and ready for anything. A lone Monolith trader, who Dimuha assumed to be the man known as Krolik, was rushing to get inside a heavy Monolith Nosorog suit. This one had a faceshield similar to a welding helmet. Dimuha raised his gun, and the trader turned to face him. The Redemption leader saw no fear in his eyes, no regret. Simply hatred and acceptance. A single gunshot echoed inside the walls of the Palace once more, before the guns fell silent. Soon, the footsteps of the other squad members flowed into the narrow space under the mighty fortress. A victory, but not the final one.

• I assume it is my turn to provide the directions, Psoglav asked, breaking the silence.

• Yes. We need to move quickly, I have a feeling the Monolith troops will move back here soon. We got lucky with the element of surprise this time, let's not push it, Stepukha replied, and Dimuha nodded in agreement before saying something himself:

• I agree. The sooner we move, the better. Grishka, get your squad and set up defensive positions. The second we get that teleport thingamajing running, get out, Garry will be waiting in the building we arrived to.

• Understood. The entrance is near, follow me, Psoglav commented while Grishka nodded to Dimuha, gave a final encouraging smile and disappeared up the stairs.

Dimuha lingered in the room for a little while more as the others begun to move. So much blood shed for this, so many battles. Thankfully no one had died, the Limansk siege had been horrible enough casualty-wise to repeat it now. Dimuha folded up the Nosorog and placed it on his back, over the powerpack of his exoskeleton. Thankfully he was travelling light, so he could handle the heavy load. The Nosorog was too big of a price to leave behind. If nothing else, this trophy already made the journey worth it. But Dimuha had no intentions of stopping now. He took one more look at the room, sighed and got up the stairs.

• Vityukha, Boris. Brothers, I'm coming to get you, he whispered to himself.