The DOOM Chronicles

Chapter 07: The Nightmare Continues

                                              -PART TWO: THE LAST STARPORT-

"Ward, Taylor," Anderson said, looking across at them from inside the troop transport they'd just mounted up in.

"Lieutenant?" Jack replied.

"I forgot to mention: I made a few official alterations to your records. Both of you are out of Space Marines. You're official United Nations Marines again, and you're both Sergeants," Anderson explained, grinning at them.

"Shit...thanks," Jennifer said.

"Yeah. Definitely appreciated," Jack agreed.

"Well, the way I see it, you two were due for promotion anyway. Though if you pull this off I imagine they're gonna want to kick your ass up the chain even higher. We're going to need experts like you to help us figure out how to kill these bastards faster and more efficiently."

"It's not too hard, any Marine can do it," Jack replied.

"Yeah, but you two were there. You were in Hell." He shook his head. "I still can't believe it. I mean, I can, I just...what was it like? Is it actually Hell?"

Jack realized that everyone in the troop transport was looking at him and Jennifer. He heaved a sigh. "I don't have any definitive answers. Based on everything I've seen and learned: no, it's not. It's just an alternate dimension, another universe that looks kinda like what we call Hell. You know? These things aren't really demons, I don't think. They're aliens. Monsters. Genetic horrors. I don't know. That's the biggest problem: no one knows anything for sure. We can just guess. But I'll say this: if that was Hell, and those are demons, I'm disappointed."

Anderson laughed. "I like that."

Jack sat back, trying to get in the zone, focus up for the task ahead. It was a big one. Probably the most significant task of his entire life, although maybe not. Taking down the Spider Mastermind had been pretty goddamned significant. Although shit, for all he knew, these were just the first few steps on a path that would lead him towards an even bigger, badder demon. But he had to admit, he was having a hard time imagining something worse than the Spider Mastermind. What else could be waiting for him in the depths of Hell?

He shifted away from that question as he felt the troop transport vessel they were on began to slow and descend.

It was time.

"All right, Ward, Taylor, Hollenshead, you're on first drop point!" Anderson called.

All three of them shouted out an affirmative response and as soon as the ship finished settling onto its landing struts, they were unbuckled and on their feet. They made double-sure they had their weapons, (Jack his lonely pistol), and then jogged down the loading ramp, onto some dead grass below. The ship began taking off even before the back ramp started to close as soon as they'd cleared it. Anderson shouted a final 'good luck!' to them, and then he was gone. Jack looked around, studying the environment.

They had been dropped in the middle of a fenced-in area. Behind them was the vast metropolis of Hayden, burning against the reddening skyline.

And, ahead of them...

"Holy God," Hollenshead whispered, his voice stricken.

Jack had to agree. He felt his breath leave his lungs as he got his first actual look at this Firewall. It was immense. It wasn't just that it was tall, and it was tall, probably a good five hundred feet, but that it was broad. It was so broad, shooting away to either side, going on for miles. It was like staring at a tidal wave of fire, frozen in place. Although it wasn't quite fire, not really. It looked closer to what a force field might look like, turned orange-red. It writhed and seethed in place, and it looked curiously flat, like, well, a wall.