September 6th, 2017

9.12 am, Naval Air Station Key West, USA

 

“What did Zeta do?” A masked man asks as he looks at his Heads-Up Display.

 

“Fucked up.” Another masked man answers.

 

6 men in ski masks sit huddled in a rectangular formation in a snug, windowless, vibrating metal cylinder with computer displays around. They are dressed in all black and armed with handguns, although two men have assault rifles. Black tactical helmets sit on their heads and black gloves rest on their hands.

 

“метла Squad Theta.” The masked man sitting in the lead says, “The mission remains.”

 

“We’ll slaughter Team Six for the General!” Another masked man says.

 

“Theta will not fail.” All 6 men shout.

 

 

6 minutes later…

 

The metal cylinder has stopped. Six men stand up and face the front hatch. The masked man in the lead cocks his Glock 17 handgun. He taps his left temple, activating his Heads-Up Display. Then, he steps forward through the open door and into the abandoned hallway. All men file out.

 

They navigate their way through the hallway maze. The point man uses the augmented reality overlay of his goggles, which shows 6 red lights through the walls, to maneuver. The team moves silently towards the lights. They stop a few meters away, moving to surround the door. The point man moves his watch over the security lock, it opens. He bursts into the darkroom. The others follow in. Their goggles are the green hue of Nightvision as they search the room.

 

6 beds, one empty. The rest occupied by… young people. This isn’t right.

 

“Hands up!” A masked man shouts, pointing his M4 semi-automatic assault rifle at a man.

 

“They are up! They are up!” A man responds standing up in the dark.

 

“Who are you?” The masked man asks.

 

“A doctor. Just a doctor.” The Doctor responds with terror in his voice.

 

“Where are the wounded soldiers in this ward?” The masked man asks.

 

“No soldiers. Just young people.” The Doctor responds.

 

Suddenly, the Doctor is hit with a butt of a gun by the masked man. 4 other masked men stand around, watching the interaction in confusion while pointing their guns at the Doctor.

 

“Lie to us and you die!” The masked man says.

 

“I am not lying!” The Doctor shouts in pain, “I have been here with my patients the entire time.”

 

“No!” The masked man shouts, “There are supposed to be middle-aged wounded soldiers here.”

 

“What do you want from me?” The Doctor shouts back, “These are my patients.”

 

“What is wrong with them?” The masked man asks.

 

“Nothing.” The Doctor says, “They are testing sleeping pills.”

 

“Then why did you lockdown this entire floor?” The masked man asks.

 

“I do not understand what you mean.” The Doctor says, “There must be a mistake.”

 

“Don’t play me for a fool! This is the right floor.” The masked man says.

 

“3 men and 2 women but they look nothing like the pictures.” Another masked man says, rejoining the group at the end of the room.

 

“Too coincidental.” The point man says.

 

“Bad intel?” Another masked man asks.

 

“Impossible.” The point man says.

 

“Then what do we do?” A masked man asks.

 

Suddenly, wind gusts from nowhere. Water springs forth from the floor. The ground shakes and things begin to float. A bright light explodes followed by overbearing darkness. Chaos.

 

Freaky mess.