When I returned to the first room, I saw that the damaged control panel and the white door were replaced with the same door I used to enter this place.

“It is different from what I remember.” (S)

“Why was it ruined?”

“The other humans destroyed it, before I could escape.” (S)

I touched the door and everything became dark.

I opened my eyes in the same passage but it was already empty.

Where the f* did those idiots go?

“Beril-Main, this is Ether, come in.” (E)

“Reading you loud and clear.”

“Using the almighty powers of stalinium, I…” (E)

“I have no idea what the f* you are saying, so be brief.”

“Fine. Killjoy. You have a new friend, and she will be transferred to the war room, just for the sake of not interfering with your work here.” (E)

Stella indeed disappeared. When I entered the war room, she was examining it.

“Now, bad news.” (E)

I looked at the map. I saw two blue dots, surrounded by red dots.

“You…”

“Keep your anger for later.” I left the war room and rushed forward.

“Come in! Do you read me?” Please, anybody?!

“T&#s &s ^@#ior l^#@te@an^ I^&nov! W@ ^re b&@ie*ed ^y & ^@t *f *@e^y &ol^ie^s! We n%#d a^@is^ance im^@#iatel^, o&@r!” Damn it!

“Old man, hang in there! I’m coming!” I’m running out of time, I need to stall the enemy.

‘Static noises’

“Roger. Estimated time of arrival is 20 minutes. Don’t you dare dying. Beril-Main. Over and out.”

“Damn it! Sugar, this is Beril-Main, requesting immediate air support at the designated location!”

“Understood. Sortie ASAP. Taxiing in 3.”

“Dachshund, requesting air support!”

“Roger. Starting the engine, S-8s are on approach.”

I entered the war room and started planning the strikes, it required careful planning to avoid allied casualties.

The no-man’s land soon was covered in red circles of the artillery killzones.

“Phoenix, can you fire at the designated coordinates?”

“No problem. Loading the clips.”

“Napalm, I want this place to look like the moon's surface!”

“Deployin the guns! Wait one, Dear. Will do everything!”

“Basilisk, this is Beril-Main, do you read me?”

“Mortars are reading you loud and clear. How can we be of assistance?” I heard a young man’s voice.

“What are you armed with?”

“Nona-SVK, we can hit anything, anywhere. Just tell us what you need.”

“Good to hear it. I designated your fire mission.

All guns, Fire at will!”

One second later.

“Negative, Captain! We need fire correction here! We might hit civilians!” Basilisk immediately responded.

“I DON’T GIVE A F* ABOUT THEM! MY MEN ARE DYING!”

“No can do, precise shelling requires precise corrections!”

“Got it, the rest of you, FIRE!”

Just hang in there…

---

Jester’s POV

Bang Bang

The situation was even worse than we expected. The enemy was attacking restless. Even our guerilla tactic of changing windows and firing from behind shields ended up only giving us time before the inevitable.

And now, the amount of problems we have will increase.

“When she comes we will have an extra gun. It should give us enough firepower to retreat in an orderly fashion.” (O)

Bang Bang Bang

“B@ &#$is*d, ar@^*le^y f*@& i&@#mi^g. K^@p &^#r h%@ds d&@n!”

“What?!”

For several second we were confused but then…

“HEADS DOWN!” (O)

I immediately fell and covered my head.

BOOM

BOOM BOOM BOOM

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

The building started shaking from explosions.

---

A. Belov’s POV

I turned to the right at a fork and continued running. I was only seeing meters away from me, since the chemlight was not reaching further.

One my way I saw a weird brick, sticking out of the wall a few millimeters. I kicked it back into place, and a part of the wall opened like a door.

“You idiots, you chose the worst way, didn’t you?”

I headed inside the secret passage and soon it started rising, until I ran into a stairway.

As I finished going upstairs, I hit a trapdoor. With a bit of effort, it opened.

‘The cavalry is here, you bastards.’

Bang Bang Bang

I heard gunshots from a distance and was ready to strangle those d*bag commanders for cutting off their own retreat path.

I opened a door, and saw a couple of people in cloaks.

‘Creeak’

C*.

As the people turned, I opened fire.

BANG BANG

7.62 rounds neutralized them immediately.

“Jester, Old man, where the f* are you?!”

“Damn it, where are YOU?! We need to retreat at once!” (O)

“Are you in a stone building?” I peeked from a window.

“We are!” (O)

“Got it. Keep your heads safe, we’ll talk later. Mortars incoming.

Nona, you are clear to fire, over!”