Crown

17. Project Carbonek

"Yeosang, I'm at the base. Go ahead." Seonghwa slid down the last part of the snowy hill and down onto a broad rock he could stand on. His heavy boots dug deep into snow and ice as he looked out over the camp beneath. It was secluded between the snowy mountains that rose around him like jagged teeth, and a high fence surrounded the whole thing. Seonghwa took out his binoculars to oversee the situation.

 "I was right, it was a secret Soviet project from the fifties called "Carbonek". The laboratory was studying ancient artefacts, but some mysterious disaster brought the KGB down and they erased it all from history... almost." Yeosang flipped through some papers in his hands while explaining.

Seonghwa meanwhile zoomed in on some men who ran around between the buildings like busy ants. They were shooting at other people; people, who looked suspiciously like the mercenaries Hongjoong had had with him in Bolivia. They were wearing the same kind of gear and used the same techniques as it seemed.

Seonghwa exhaled slowly.

"There seems to be trouble below. Party full of people."

"You got there right on time," San commented worriedly while Seonghwa zoomed in onto another building further hidden behind another gate in front of which most fights went down.

"Or a little late. Kim's men attacking the Kazakhs."

Which could mean only one thing. Hongjoong himself was not far. How had the man known when Seonghwa would be here? Seonghwa cursed his luck inwardly. Dodging him might get difficult.

"The lab is somehow connected to that military base, but we don't know how. If you find the command centre, we might get a better idea. Now, after the firefight dies down, you should try-"

Seonghwa interrupted him while he put the binoculars away and smoothed out his soft cuddly rose-pink winter jacket. The soft white fur lining it brushed against his neck as he pulled his weapon without waiting another second.

"Oh, come on, San. Waiting is for the patient. Which I am not. I gotta hurry and outrun him." With that, he jumped down the rock and continued sliding hazardously over the frozen hills. He opened fire even before he arrived on the ground, shooting the first of Kim's men down immediately. The Kazakhs recognised him as a friendly force and grouped up with him without one word being exchanged.

They managed to battle back the enemy group without further problems. They had heavy machine guns and grenades anyway, meaning that Hongjoong had used his men mostly as a distraction, not as a means to win.

After they had beat that group of men, Seonghwa stepped up to one of the soldiers while putting his weapon away. He nodded at the man and got a salute in return before the man took his helmet down. With icy blue eyes, he scrutinised Seonghwa.

"Where is your commando centre?"

The man looked him up and down once, his eyes narrowed. He seemed to want to tell off Seonghwa when Yongguk suddenly stepped up to them and rested a gloved hand on Seonghwa's shoulder. The man had arrived on the less dangerous route and via the actual road leading here and thus had missed all the fun.

Yongguk didn't look as soft today. Today, he wore his hair slicked back and a dark coat, exuding authority.

"We are not here to make trouble and we will leave soon. We are after the person who attacked you," he assured the man in perfect Russian while his face and voice remained calm. Seonghwa waited with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

At this, the man seemed satisfied. He put his helmet underneath his arm and nodded at Yongguk shortly.

"I'll take you."