Even though this was only a minor side-show on the way to the main event, Montoya was showing the Executives some of the best cells in The Pit. In an area that had only taken minimal damage during Borealis. He would have preferred a respectable average, but he was no fool. He understood the fragile nature of Lee's situation. The Colonel had planned and plotted for over 2 years, and crossed lines that even Venture would consider unethical. The thought of all that being undone by a few fussy accountants with clipboards, just as these sacrifices were starting to yield some positive economic and humanitarian results, was gut-wrenching. Ms Hernandez's team would see nothing but the best they had to offer.
Even so, this one seemed dissatisfied.
"Is there a problem, Doctor?" Montoya asked.
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Selina took off her furs as they neared the gates of the Industrial Complex, but beyond that she made no fuss. In spite of her father's devout background, the childhood Selina had quickly grown out of any notion of an afterlife, not least of all the concept of Hell. Nevertheless, she could imagine the gateway to eternal damnation looking something like this; and Selina had long ago resolved herself to the notion that, if she was wrong and her actions were to be judged unfavorably at the end of her days, she would walk to her fate proud and unbowed. She new the role she played in the continued rise of a the new world order, and her faith in that at least was unshakable. While she new how objectionable she may seem to others, even to some of her peers; nothing, not even an eternal and omnipotent judge of right from wrong, would sway her from this path.
She resisted the temptation to roll her eyes at the less resolute members of her entourage. The weaklings were embarrassing her. The Wardens were closing ranks and had home advantage. In order to be taken seriously here, they would need to prove their metal. She discreetly shot them a look that communicated as much.
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The Free-Men backed into a wedge, seven fighters holding a perimeter, protecting the others as they filed into the caves. The more Wolves that went down the more there seemed to be, and no amount of violence on the part of the Free-Men was making them hesitate or back off. The Beasts must have been as hungry as Nikolai was.
Nikolai stood his ground at the tip of the wedge, three Wolves baring down on him. He cycled his shotgun twice, and smashed the stock into the jaw of the third as it lunged for his throat, sending it sprawling. He pumped and pulled the trigger again to finish it where it lay, but was met with only an impotent click. The gun was empty.
Wasting no time, Nikolai dropped the spent weapon and drew the magnum from his waist instead. He shot the Wolf in the head as it struggled to rise, before sweeping his arm round to the right, firing at the Animal that was moving up on Gregor's blind side. Two shots, shoulder and head, felled the Beast, and the ejection port of the magnum locked open. It too was empty. Nikolai found himself alone and unarmed, standing in the mouth of the cave, when the Alpha Male slunk his way out of the vegetation, snarling. He was huge, with dark fur and darker eyes, with four more Wolves approaching on his flank, who banked to either side, moving to encircle Nikolai.
He had one weapon left, his heavy iron sledgehammer, which he drew, tossing it in the air and catching it with one hand, such was his strength. The feel of its weight and balance, of his grip around the wooden shaft, put Nikolai back in The Hive, fighting in Azrael's tournaments. A pet to be shown off he may have been, but still... in that arena he had been invincible, unbeaten, and the feeling put Nikolai strangely at peace. Let it come to blood. To roars, grunts and gnashing of teeth. That was what Nikolai knew. That was the realm in which he was King, not wandering aimlessly around these woods, waiting to starve or succumb to shit and sickness.
He swung the hammer around his head in an impressive arc, unleashed his battle roar, and charged.
Even so, this one seemed dissatisfied.
"Is there a problem, Doctor?" Montoya asked.
===============================================================================================================================
Selina took off her furs as they neared the gates of the Industrial Complex, but beyond that she made no fuss. In spite of her father's devout background, the childhood Selina had quickly grown out of any notion of an afterlife, not least of all the concept of Hell. Nevertheless, she could imagine the gateway to eternal damnation looking something like this; and Selina had long ago resolved herself to the notion that, if she was wrong and her actions were to be judged unfavorably at the end of her days, she would walk to her fate proud and unbowed. She new the role she played in the continued rise of a the new world order, and her faith in that at least was unshakable. While she new how objectionable she may seem to others, even to some of her peers; nothing, not even an eternal and omnipotent judge of right from wrong, would sway her from this path.
She resisted the temptation to roll her eyes at the less resolute members of her entourage. The weaklings were embarrassing her. The Wardens were closing ranks and had home advantage. In order to be taken seriously here, they would need to prove their metal. She discreetly shot them a look that communicated as much.
============================================================================================================================
The Free-Men backed into a wedge, seven fighters holding a perimeter, protecting the others as they filed into the caves. The more Wolves that went down the more there seemed to be, and no amount of violence on the part of the Free-Men was making them hesitate or back off. The Beasts must have been as hungry as Nikolai was.
Nikolai stood his ground at the tip of the wedge, three Wolves baring down on him. He cycled his shotgun twice, and smashed the stock into the jaw of the third as it lunged for his throat, sending it sprawling. He pumped and pulled the trigger again to finish it where it lay, but was met with only an impotent click. The gun was empty.
Wasting no time, Nikolai dropped the spent weapon and drew the magnum from his waist instead. He shot the Wolf in the head as it struggled to rise, before sweeping his arm round to the right, firing at the Animal that was moving up on Gregor's blind side. Two shots, shoulder and head, felled the Beast, and the ejection port of the magnum locked open. It too was empty. Nikolai found himself alone and unarmed, standing in the mouth of the cave, when the Alpha Male slunk his way out of the vegetation, snarling. He was huge, with dark fur and darker eyes, with four more Wolves approaching on his flank, who banked to either side, moving to encircle Nikolai.
He had one weapon left, his heavy iron sledgehammer, which he drew, tossing it in the air and catching it with one hand, such was his strength. The feel of its weight and balance, of his grip around the wooden shaft, put Nikolai back in The Hive, fighting in Azrael's tournaments. A pet to be shown off he may have been, but still... in that arena he had been invincible, unbeaten, and the feeling put Nikolai strangely at peace. Let it come to blood. To roars, grunts and gnashing of teeth. That was what Nikolai knew. That was the realm in which he was King, not wandering aimlessly around these woods, waiting to starve or succumb to shit and sickness.
He swung the hammer around his head in an impressive arc, unleashed his battle roar, and charged.
