Chapter CXXXIV: Balancing on the Web of Intrigue

 Colonel Degtyarev drummed the table in front of him with his fingers, glancing at his clock every two minutes or so. The ice-cold glass of beer in front of him did not particularly interest him, but it did do wonders for his stress. Those damn Redemption rogues were taking forever with a single mission, and the gunfire coming from outside did not help put his mind at ease. Usually the colonel could keep his cool better than a freezer in the North Pole, but today the stakes were quite high. Sighing, he opened the file in front of him.

Reports of UNISG activity all the way down south in Cordon and Darkscape, a file from Major Tarasov depicting soldiers that matched their description in Outskirts. New mercenary groups clashing with Dushman's Syndicate, new cultists sprouting from the north. This was a shitshow, given for him to be handled. And what did they relocate for him to combat it with? A squad of SSU troopers, all veterans but far, far too few in number to put a dent in all their enemies. Goddamn Operation Monolith... Degtyarev would personally slam his foot a metre up Kutznesov's arrogant arse if he wasn't so heavily up shit creek here already.

He sighed again and this time took a big gulp of the beer. At least the Redemption chumps could help him. He harboured suspicions of their actual intent, but at least it was better than working with mercenaries, the scars left by Black's M134 still burned sometimes in his leg. At least he wasn't wormfood now. The colonel's train of thought was derailed as the station doors swung open and the gigantic form of a Redemption Nosorog armour stomped in, raising dust from the room's floor. Boris made his way to Degtyarev's table and slammed the parcel on it.

• Here's your shit. Now, for fuck's sake, give us something worthwhile to do. If you want a courier, hire one of the stalkers, Boris growled.

• No, I chose you because I know that you work with the efficiency of mercenaries. Huh, this is exactly what I was looking for, good work. That was your squad shooting outside?, the colonel asked, shuffling through the contents of the parcel.

• Ran into a squad of UN... Uh, "thugs" near the cooling tower. Here's a PDA from one of them, you any good at cracking codes?, Boris replied, but the colonel shook his head and shouted for Nitro to come to him.

The technician strolled over from his table and took a look at the PDA, furrowing his brow at the encryption. He took it to his office with a promise to get it opened in half an hour. Boris turned back to the soldier and raised his brow questioningly.

• Well, you just got an extra hour of rest. Get to it, Redeemed, the colonel commented.

• We're not on your payroll colonel, if you want to boss us around you could always apply for leadership position at Redemption, Dima responded.

The colonel laughed dryly and nodded, but didn't comment further. This gestured made the tension relax slightly, as the stoic military man didn't appear quite so cold. Sanyok left to stock up on some supplies from Ashot, Dima went to get his Val upgraded by Cardan and Boris himself decided to enjoy the peace by himself for once. He went to buy a beer from Hawaiian, and the jolly bartender sold him a pint with complementary obnoxiously loud chatter. Boris holed up on one of the free beds at the corner, checked it for bedbugs and downed the bottle before going to sleep. Hours later, the colonel kicked his boot and woke the Redemption leader up.

• Good news, more work, Degtyarev said.

• Five more minutes?, Boris asked sarcastically before getting up and taking the PDA the colonel was handing him.

Boris skimmed through the files, most of it in English but also some personal diary entries in some language Boris did not recognize. Most of it was logistics or patrol plans, but there was a mission file with a specific set of goals. It read: Relocate to Zaton via the western train tunnel. Regroup with Corporals Torodov and De Luca at the waste processing plant. Capture their prisoner and transfer him back to base. Eliminate the corporals.

• Huh... Never expected these guys to backstab each other. What is this all about, spy man?, Boris pondered.

• I have absolutely no idea. But while you had your beauty sleep, I got a message from one of my troopers, who is working undercover as a mercenary. There's a group of UNISG troops near the Jupiter factory where you can find said trooper with a flash drive. Go fetch it, and if you can, get some data on those Torodov and De Luca guys. If UNISG has issues with unit cohesion, we absolutely need to exploit it.

• How are we going to get that flash drive amidst an UNISG squad?, asked Dima, walking to the two with his upgraded rifle holstered.

• They're apparently trying to be a little less trigger-happy, perhaps they think that being nice to the stalkers will make them appear as the good guys? Anyway, tell the mercenary that you were attacked by a pack of blind dogs on the way so the merc knows who you are, Degtyarev said and scoffed.

• We'll try our luck, for your sake I hope they won't attack us, Boris promised and the squad set off once more.

Sanyok took the lead this time, while Boris navigated for the squad's position on the map. They were slightly above the Bitumen anomaly field. Dima mentioned that there was an old traincart there with some construction equipment that they were probably resting nearby. On the field opposite of the Anomalous Grove, a new anomaly field had appeared. There were large bubbles of amber energy flowing amongst the grass, and they let out a sort of insect-like buzz as the squad neared them. Among the strange anomalies, a single scientist in white SSP armour used a scanner of sorts on them.

• Greetings, stalkers! Professor Zhuk at your service. Watch out for these anomalies, they are very dangerous. Two of my hired hunters got spooked by a snork caught in one of these, and the gruesome display made them leave this area faster than you could say "Heureka"!, the scientist greeted them cheerily.

• Oh no... a nerd, Dima muttered to Sanyok, getting a poke with an elbow in return.

• Well met, Professor. Can you give any information on what exactly these anomalies are then?, Boris asked, unable to resist the urge to learn more despite the urgent mission.

• These are formations known as Mephistoteles. Yes, a rather childish name, but it is what it is, docent Semenov is a bit... creative with his naming conventions. Either way, they are a rather unique combination, as they have the aggressive physical characteristic of gravitational anomalies, harmful biochemical characteristics of gas clouds and a surge of energy more often characteristic of electric anomalies. I am currently using my Anomaly Surveillance Scanner on them to gain further knowledge on them, but until that has happened, I cannot help you further. If you wish, you could help me on some more conventional tasks now that my guards have deserted me, Zhuk explained.

• I'm afraid we have a more pressing matter to attend to, but perhaps after that. Where can we find you?, Sanyok asked.

• I will rest in the train hangar of Yanov station once my work here is done. Find me there, pay will be more than adequate!

The Redemption patrol agreed to help in the future and left the professor to his research. Boris told the others that this could prove to be a valuable way to learn more about these new threats and similarly forge deeper connections with the northern ecologists, as this allowed Redemption to nudge further into a role of trusted faction. Dima agreed, as did Sanyok, who had always been fond of the ecologists anyway. They couldn't get much further in their conversation as they soon arrived to the UNISG hiding spot near the Jupiter factory.

The traincar was wedged inbetween construction equipment, with a badly leaning electricity pylon near it. One of the UNISG troopers spotted Boris' squad, but just like Degtyarev had presumed, he held his fire and waved at them to get closer. The Redeemed greeted the trooper, hiding their suspicion, and the agent explained that the International Science Group was here to study the Zone for the benefit of mankind. He went on some sort of a propaganda spiel, but was cut off by a SEVA-suited mercenary. To Boris' surprise, the merc was a woman judging by the voice coming from inside the suit.

• Boris Unforgiven himself. What brings you here?, the merc asked as she led the squad out of hearing distance of the UNISG trooper, using trade as excuse to her international comrade.

• We were heading for information on some of our friends at Yanov, but a pack of blind dogs attacked us. Stumbled upon these guys, Boris replied nonchalantly.

• Interesting, interesting. You wouldn't happen to have any medkits on you? I'm running out and I could use some as these allies of mine are badly beaten bar captain Bauer there, the undercover agent asked.

• Sure, how much are you willing to pay?

The mercenary gave Boris a stack of rubles and Boris felt something slide into his palm as he took the stack. It was the pendrive. Clever, Boris thought to himself. Sanyok gave one of his yellow scientific medkits to the mercenary, who nodded and urged with a gesture for them to get out. Boris turned on his heels and marched out in as relaxed a manner as he could. Dima and Sanyok followed suit, and once the UNISG temporary encampment disappeared over the hill, Boris breathed for the first time in minutes. It was not so much that the squad of infiltrators could have beaten them, just that there was more at stake than just a simple squad. Far more.

As they took the quicker route to Yanov through the rolling hills of the quarry, Boris couldn't help but wonder how much things had changed. Only a year ago things had been so much simpler. Sure, he had been a wanted murderer and a bastard, but his life had consisted of hunting dogs for some coins, looting old vehicles and buildings for repair materials and drinking the nights away with Dimuha and Vityukha. And now, they were all trying their hardest to keep a fledling faction together against insurmountable odds. Still, Boris thought to himself, it was all worth it. For it had to be.