Project Outbreak

Chapter 2: Sergeant First Class Volg Artur Borisovich

"Sergeant, what are we doing out here?"

"Humanitarian aid, evacuating non-combatants, and removing hostile forces as directed by the Kremlin."

That wasn't the whole truth. Long ago, I promised myself I would never lie to my men. However, I was sworn to secrecy. How could I explain to them what took me weeks to comprehend? It was better this way, anyway.

"But don't worry about what we're doing out here, comrade. The sergeant has our backs, right, Sarge?"

"Of course, Alexei. I'll always look after you all."

It was a low blow; he knew just as well as I did why we couldn't tell them the whole story.

"The least they could have done was give us a jeep, right?"

"Sorry to say, Private, but that wasn't how it panned out."

"Understood, Sergeant."

That was good. At least it had been addressed before it became a problem. Now, all we needed to do was complete our rounds and return to base. It should have been straightforward. Then, a child's voice caught my attention.

"Help! Someone help me!"

It sounded like a little boy, and I had to investigate. As we got closer, I realized he spoke English and sounded American.

"Sergeant, that boy isn't Lithuanian."

"I figured that out a while ago; he's still just a kid. We have to help him."

It didn't matter where he was from; he was innocent.

"Move out. I won't sit by and let a kid be butchered when I can do something about it."

As I racked my AK-12, I ordered my men to move down there. Identifying what cornered the kid was straightforward; I had been shown photos of the beasts. Greyish-pale skin, blackish puss coming out of orifices, and cold, soulless eyes that creeped me out even more in person. The stuff of nightmares, I thought. If they were before me, I must be back at base sleeping. Someone pinch me. We quickly opened fire on the 6 or 7 creatures that had trapped the boy but quickly realized we were in as much trouble as he was. The scream of agony was the first thing that hit me. I turned to see Alexei being bitten in the neck as blood sprays covered my face, turning my field of view red. I tried to repel the things coming after us, but to no avail. My men were being ripped apart, and I risked killing them if I fired down the alleyway. Then a sharp pain ran up my leg as I fell over the body of half a woman, her mouth oozing blackish puss. When I looked down at my leg, it had a large bite wound in it.

"Fuck you, motherfuckers!!"

I let loose, spraying everything in front of me with my Ak-12 as I kicked the woman in the face and unholstered my pistol, blasting her in the face.