M4DN3SS R3DACT3D (a sh!t madness combat story)

[[F0UR]]

The next morning seemed to be more of a blur to Deimos and Sanford than anything. Sanford was pretty used to trudging through work tired, but Deimos was usually so full of energy every morning. But Hank had made them leave earlier than originally planned, out of pure paranoia that they might be found- and they wouldn't be prepared. So now, approaching the tall building at the other side of town, all Deimos remembered from earlier that day was struggling to stay up long enough to pack up and get to the truck.

They were more awake than before- for Sanford, that was just out of nervousness. Anxiety over Deimos, as always. And the unusually strong feeling of bloodlust.

For Deimos, it was both nervousness and excitement as always. He couldn't wait to be back on the job as usual, but a part of him was always worried. For what exactly, he wasn't sure. He was in the middle of smoking, cigarette sticking out the side of his mouth while he hands were busy with his weapons.

Sanford grabbed the cigarette while he wasn't looking and stomped it out.

"'What the hell, 'Ford?"

"What did I fuckin' tell you about the smoking?"

Like most places in Nevada nowadays, the area surrounding the building appeared to be completely desolate. Aside from them, all that was there were the rocks scattered everywhere. Sanford had blown a hole in the wall with a grenade.

The explosion had been pretty loud, at least to the three of them. But the grunts and agents continued on like they hadn't heard or seen a thing.

"Are they not seein'..." Deimos motioned to the damage, turning to Hank and Sanford.

"Thick-headed fucks." Hank muttered, handgun in one hand, sword in the other. "I'd say we should take more time to scope out the area, but we should probably head in while they still haven't caught on."

The three approached the doors. Sanford braced himself with his hook, Deimos loaded up a pistol he'd managed to pick up the day before.

The doors opened before they could enter. Just as a pair of agents on the other side was about to make their way through, one was met with Sanford's hook to the face, and Hank stabbed the other through their chest.

Sanford pulled the hook back, bringing the agent closer to him and creating a pretty big hole in their head. He slashed them across the face a second time and kicked them down. Hank's victim was thrown carelessly on top of them.

At the same time, Deimos slid in around them. A few agents were scattered around, working their way towards the doors to take care of Hank and Sanford.

...Before Deimos shot them all down.

Silence fell over the area. Hank made note of the three doors, two at one end of the room, and one on the other.

"We might have to split for now." He eventually spoke, "M'pretty sure only one of these doors leads upstairs, so if either of you get it, wait for the others."

"You sure? I mean.." Deimos's confidence shrunk under Hank's questioning look. Which he couldn't see, but the feeling was still there. "I'm-..I'm jus sayin', what if one of us gets injured or somethin'? Or they show up?"

Sanford felt his bloodstained hands start to twitch.

"They'll be fuckin' up the whole place, anyone else in the building will know they're here."

That answered the question, but it didn't reassure Deimos any more. Why the hell would he want to be separated from Sanford and Hank when the walls started breaking apart into red static, or black liquid started seeping through the corners, and he couldn't be there to make sure they didn't fucking die?