Chapter CXXXI: The Rain that Burned

 The scientist bunker at Jupiter was usually a rather quiet spot in the otherwise action-packed area. It had a contingent of former stalkers as guards, the original inhabitants of the mighty Shevchenko, led by Spartacus. As Hatchet left for Yantar, Spartacus' men took over the duty of guarding the bunker. The scientists sometimes spent time around the bunker as well, but mostly it was surrounded by whatever group of artefact hunters was passing by. Today however, it was quite crowded. Redemption stalkers sat under the camo nets or near the campfire, chatting with Spartacus' men or resting. Dimuha was standing nervously in one of the rooms inside the bunker, where professor Hermann had ordered him to take his wounded friend to.

Seryoga Student, the local medic, and Redemption's medic Vova were working on keeping Vityukha stable. Worst moments had passed already, the Redemption leader would survive. Now, however, the healers focused on making him get on his feet a bit faster. Vova assured Dimuha for the tenth time that Vityukha would survive, and finally the former bandit agreed to take a break from his self-assigned watch. Dimuha stepped outside and lit a cigarette, puffing out a cloud of smoke as he exhaled. He stood there for some time, enjoying the moment of quiet while still worried about his friend and the overall situation.

• Dimuha! Boris, Dima and Sanyok are coming from the north!, Stepukha shouted from the top of the bunker, having stood guard there.

• Chuvaks, about time you dragged your asses here! We've got a situation so shitty that explosive diarrhea isn't cutting it for a description!, Dimuha shouted to his commander.

• Alright, brief me on it, Boris said as he stomped over the swampy terrain and removed his MASKA helmet.

Dimuha could see exhaustion in his friend's face, but begun to recount the events that had happened. He explained the UNISG ambush, the death of Noon stalkers, Strider's order to regroup to his men and the staggered retreat here with wounded Vityukha. According to Dimuha, Strider had left for his men in Red Forest, anxious to keep them alive. Scar had believed that it was him that the UNISG troops were after, and despite Dimuha's protests, the legendary stalker had left for another hiding spot. Dimuha had sent Toha and Leva to look for him. Reefer was out looking for Psoglav in turn, whose corpse the squad had not found upon returning to the checkpoint.

• I see. Good work Dimuha, you did what you could. Damn Scar though, I think those UNISG bastards we met at Zaton were after him, Boris groaned.

• You ran into them as well?, Dimuha asked, raising his eyebrow and crushing the butt of his cigarette under his heel.

• Yes, and not only them. One clandestine organization wasn't enough, Colonel Alexander fucking Degtyarev was also there, Dima commented.

• Huh, never heard of this Fucking Degtyarev, is he related to..., Stepukha begun, but Dima gave him a glare that would have shut up even Ashot.

• Dima is right, we met a SSU patrol there, led by Degtyarev. As if we aren't tangled up in this enough already. Man, what I would give for a week in Meadow, chucking back beers, Boris sighed.

• No rest for the wicked. So, the SSU didn't blow your brains, and Dima's sawdust, out right away?, Valik asked, having walked up to the conversing crowd.

• No. They want our help. Dunno why Ukrainian Secret Service wants ex-cons to help, but apparently it is related to our successes in Limansk and Generators. I agreed to help, but I don't trust them at all. We are all wanted men. We need to plan ahead quite a bit now, Boris replied.

The group moved away from the bunker door after one of the ecologists in SSP-suit came out of it and gave them a stern look. They moved next to the campfire and sat down. Boris then explained that he and his two companions would help Degtyarev in his investigations. Meanwhile Dimuha would remain up here in the north to find a new base location for Redemption with a couple men. Stepukha and Valik would return to Meadow to prepare troops once a suitable base was found, as well as keep the Redemption missions going there. Stepukha agreed nervously, although he commented that his experience as a leader was rather limited.

• Don't worry brother. Tooth and Toshka have a lot of experience in the logistics-side of it all, just make sure the guys aren't slacking off. And Valik, you keep the bottle closed for Stepukha, eh? Anyway, me and Dimuha started from basically nothing as leaders too, and we haven't done half bad so far, Boris replied.

• Speak for yourself, I always had my incredible intellect and natural charisma by my side, Dimuha protested.

• Smelling like a week-dead pseudogiant's arse is not the same as charisma, Dima commented.

• Oh Dima, your wit is so legendary indeed. So much so I do think we should add it to your name. Dimawit, or maybe even shorten it to Dimwit? Yeah, that could work!, Dimuha replied back, and the Redeemed chuckled.

Boris waited for the snickering to end and then ordered everyone to get to work. Valik and Stepukha took Vova with them and begun marching towards Meadow, waving a goodbye to their comrades. Boris slapped Dimuha's shoulder and told him to find them a good spot, then he took his two companions and turned towards the Yanov station. Dimuha watched them walk away, then disappeared back inside the bunker. The sky had turned green, the colour of emerald and the harbringer of toxic rain. Soon, radiation and acid would pour from the sky once more. Boris gazed up to the clouds and hastened his step. Getting caught in the storm like that would melt away their armour and cause severe damage to their weapons.

Thankfully the station was close. But it did not mean safety. The Freedom guard was waving at them to make haste into the shelter as stalkers all around also rushed into the old building. Dima got to the Freedomer first.

• What's going on? Why the waving?, he asked.

• Zombified. Lots of them. No idea why they left Kopachy, but scouts spotted at least twenty. We need to set up some sort of a defense! Most of the usual guys are on a raid, we're heavily outnumbered, the young-looking Freedom fighter replied, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

• Alright, make sure everyone is inside. Dima, Sanyok, let's hop into those carriages. You, Freedomer, send anyone combat capable into those wagons too, Boris ordered.

• Why the wagons?, the Freedomer asked.

• It's going to pour acid rain. The Zombified won't care about it for a short period, but to us it's like willingly walking into a Fruit Punch.

The Freedomer nodded, looking nervously at the sky which was becoming more and more toxic green. Boris hopped into the nearest traincar and checked his ammunition. The M16 he was carrying was in a bad shape, and the ammo was mostly spent. Sanyok still had his USAS, but was also low on ammo. Boris took out his new Korth and attached the Docter sight. Thankfully the brainscorched would not pose as big of a challenge as their less scorched brethren, the Monolith. The pistol would do. It would have to.

• Enemy front, Dima said just as the Freedom fighter stepped out of the building with two hunters.

Boris could see roughly dozen Zombified stalkers hobble towards them slowly, crossing the putrid swamp pond between Yanov and Kopachy. As they got closer, Boris could hear their incoherent ramblings, raspy breath and pitiful moans. He raised the Korth and fired. The suppressor took out most of the blast, but the husks still noticed it and opened fire. One of them did not, however, as the large bullet had struck its head wide open. Dima followed suit, emptying his Val in a series of accurate bursts. The Freedom novice was firing back as well, hitting one of the Zombified and killing it. He shouted triumphantly, but his joy was cut midway when a stray bullet struck him in the abdomen and ended his life.

• Such waste, Boris groaned and fired again, emptying his magazine quickly.

As the hunters joined in, the rain begun to fall. Like the leadstorm the Zombified had created, the actual rain also pattered on the empty carriage Boris' squad was holding. He could see the green droplets burn the skin and suits of the scorched, yet they pushed on like the mindless creatures they were. The horrific sight made one of the hunters vomit, but the choices were to stand and fight or run and burn. They all chose the former. In a firing line more akin to the tactics of 19th century, the occupiers of carriage poured fire into the remaining attackers. Slug after slug, bullet after bullet they managed to stop the advance. In that small pond, roughly the size of tennis court, fifteen or so husks fell. The otherwise stale brown water soon turned red as their blood mixed with the muddy puddle.

One of the hunters, Artem Gnat, killed the last Zombified. His TOZ shotgun emptied both barrels into one final straggler, his skin steaming from the chemical burns but his mind as empty as they day it was washed clean by the Scorcher. As the final gun fell silent, Boris sat down and breathed out. Dima lowered his Val as well, while Sanyok still kept watch. They would be stuck here until the rain ran out, lest they suffer the same fate as the Zombified.

• Thanks for the help, Redeemed, this would've been a tough battle otherwise, the other hunter, Yurka Scoop, commented.

• Anytime. But what's with Freedom being so underequipped to handle this?, Sanyok asked, standing nearest to the man.

• They lost a lot of men clashing with Duty over the new routes, some left with Max to take over Chernobyl-1 and the remaining outside of Ashot are trying to raid a Monolith force near Jupiter plant. There's only us, Trapper and the traders here now, and some egghead Zhuk who's currently on a research mission with a couple of our hunters, Yurka explained.

• I see. Have you, by any chance, happened to have seen Degtyarev? The SSU guy?, Dima asked nonchalantly.

• The officer? Why the hell would he be here?, Artem scoffed.

• As expected. Well, comrades, looks like we have a bit of waiting to do, Boris sighed.

• Since we're stuck here until the rain ends, and our mysterious contact has not graced us with his presence yet, could you give us a run-down of what has been happening in the Zone the past month Yurka? We've, uh, been a bit busy lately, Sanyok asked.

• Sure, not like there is anything better to do. So it all started with the giant emission last month..., the hunter begun recounting latest events.