"Alpha Team, do you read me?" *static* "Alpha Team, do you copy?" *static* "Bravo Team, Alpha is down, set up a perimeter around the South West building, four three man teams, understood?" The Special Forces leader waits for a reply... "Ten-four Delta Team, moving into position now." Bravo Team moves into position around the small shop in the South West corner of the city, the shop windows are covered in dust, cobwebs hang from the corner of the small wooden door. Bravo Team leader says, "Oleg, you first, enter through the door, and secure the room." Sgt. Oleg of the Special Forces unit moves into the shop slowly, he presses his hand to the door gently, pushing it open slowly, the soft screech of the door opening echoes through the shop, he pauses, seeing something in the corner, is it a man, a survivor?

Twenty km away, a squad of six Stalkers hurries across an open field to reach the small town to the East. They approach the town slowly and quietly; not aware of the danger that lies ahead. "Praxus, do you see anything?" Mcvia asks, "Nothing..." he replies, "Okay, lets move to that house to the left, see it? Behind the trees." Praxus nods, then he signals for the others to move up, they rise from the grassy knoll and move towards the house slowly, their weapons raised and ready to fire. The back door opens and the sound of flesh being torn is heard, screams fill the air, Praxus and Mcvia open fire onto the house, the other Stalkers fall back and fire upon the creature. Boommmm... Fire engulfs the creature, it runs out towards Praxus, crying out in pain, its flesh being singed, like the sound of hot iron being submerged in water, the men keep firing, it still runs. Mcvia takes aim...the crack of a rifle echoes from the hills and the creature falls, his blood against the wall, it is already coagulated, as if it had already been dead. Tanks and Special Forces move in from the West, a Mi24 circles the skies from above, "Place your weapons on the ground!" The military approaches the Stalkers swiftly, then, Praxus opens fire on the military units. "Go go go! We gotta get out of here!" Praxus yells to the men, the rest of the Stalkers run to the South, hoping to reach their KAMAZ Truck.

Meanwhile, Delta Team moves through the city streets and reaches the shop Bravo Team was at, rivers of blood flow through the cracks in the concrete, the team's members, all slaughtered. Then, the sound of rubble moving comes from the side of the shop; Delta Team moves around to the side of the building only to find a blood soaked Sgt. Oleg. Sitting against the wall his head lowered and his rifle lying at his side, he repeats to himself "I was wrong...I was wrong..."

Delta Team tries to speak to Sgt. Oleg, trying to figure out what went wrong, then Cpt. Varikov draws his sidearm and takes aim, then he gently squeezes on the trigger, a stretching bang from a Fort 12 rings out through the city. Delta Team packs up all ammo and weapons then moves to the extraction point 20 km to the North...

A Russian soldier bends around the corner of a building, and accurately aims his rifle, fires and hits Praxus. Mcvia screams, "Medic We need a Medic, we have a man down, I repeat we have a man down". Mcvia rounds away from cover and runs to Praxus. Praxus starts to laugh at him as it was only a leg wound, Mcvia helps him up and Praxus says, "Go go go! We gotta get out of here!" Mcvia takes aim and fires three rounds into the Russian soldier, he drops to the ground and Mcvia carries Praxus to the truck then loads him into the back and jumps in then bangs on the side to let the others know he is ready to leave. He lays prone in the back of the truck and fires out at the soldiers, holding them back. A loud thud comes from the top of the truck, then Mcvia flips onto his back and aims his rifle to the roof of the truck and fires a few rounds into it, just then a mutant's body falls from the truck and hits the ground and rolls off. Mcvia then reloads his weapon and watches from the back for any other enemies.

"Delta Team, what is your ETA to the extraction point?" asks the Mi24 pilot, "Guardian Angel, this is Delta Team, we are approximately 10 minutes away from the extraction point." The pilot asks, "What about Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie? What is their ETA?" Cpt. Varikov replies "They're gone, we'll send another team to extract the bodies shortly, we need to get back, we're low on ammo and supplies." "Roger that sir." Delta Team moves cautiously through the city streets, watching the alleys and windows, their rifles ready to fire. Cpt. Varikov peers around a corner slowly, the snap of a bullet hits the wall, and he drops back against the wall and signals everyone to get down. He looks back around the corner and sees nothing, he moves to the other side of the wall and peers out around the corner, and still he sees nothing. He lies back against the wall and sighs with relief. He looks back over to his men and sees Pvt. Kratzoff lying on the ground, his helmet pierced, and blood flows down from the brim of his helmet and down over his eyes and slowly trickling it's way down his face. "Captain, we need to get out of here, something isn't..." the soldier head is jolted against the wall suddenly as a bullet shatters his helmet, his body slowly sliding down against the wall and blood trailing from his head down to the ground.

The abrupt sound of gunfire fills the air, dirt and rocks are flung into the air by ricocheting bullets. "Let's move out!" A soldier yells as he fires his rifle towards the enemy, the team lays down covering fire into the windows and back alleys as the others escape to the North. Cpt. Varikov runs towards a rusted car and dives for cover, the bullets pierce the door rapidly as he crawls towards the building. He jumps inside and reloads his weapon then runs up the stairs and peers out onto the street, he sees advanced stalkers armed with LR-300ML's then he drops back behind the door and closes his eyes, readying himself for the fight.

"Praxus, are you sure you're all right?" Mcvia asks, "Yes, I'm okay, don't worry about it." Mcvia nods and smacks the back of his head; "Don't you ever do something like that again! You endangered all of out lives! You know we can't fight the military with the weaponry we have now! Next time, I might shoot you myself." Mcvia then crawls up the to the front of the truck and asks Donovich, "Are we almost back to the camp?" Donovich looks back and replies "Yes, but...we're going to have to take a detour, the military seems to have two Mi24's moving to the city. I also hear gunfire in the distance, perhaps there was a group of mutants accumulating in the city." Mcvia sits back against the side of the truck and thinks for a minute, "Wasn't Malikai supposed to meet us there today! Head strait for the city, and hurry, they might need help." He turns to Praxus and tosses him his rifle and starts packing equipment for the fight. "Praxus, gear up, we're going to fight again, and remember, just because you think your invincible doesn't mean a bullet thinks that too, hehe." Praxus, Mcvia, and the others prepare for the battle. Mcvia opens the weapons cache and starts handing out grenades and ammo.

"Delta Team, this is Guardian Angel, we're closing in on the extraction point. What's your position?" Varikov answers, "We're taking heavy fire! Stalkers armed with LR-300ML's are here, I don't know what they're doing shooting at us, but we've taken two casualties, we need air support!" Pilot replies, "Roger that sir, we're moving in. Have your men turn on their infrared signature tags, that way we'll know who's an enemy from above." Varikov says, "Affirmative, Delta Team, turn on your infrared signature tags, we've got air support on the way." The sound of the helicopters overhead becomes louder and louder then the hail of gunfire silences it down into the city streets, the bullets piercing the bodies faster than they can react. The stalkers keep running and firing, not knowing they've been hit yet, then they all seem to go into a daze as they fall to the ground lifeless.

Mcvia and his men come up to the outskirts of the city when slowly then sides of the truck begin to indent, "Everyone out of the truck! It's a magnetic field!" Everyone starts to pile out of the vehicle then they run down the hill and watch as the truck is smashed within itself. "Praxus and Donovich, head to that building, secure it and we'll enter it from the side." The squad moves out cautiously, watching for any enemies. Varikov peers out from the wall and sees Mcvia's men, he then takes aim through his sights, focusing on Donovich, he then squeezes the trigger lightly, he fires, Donovich drops back onto the ground as if hit by an immense force of gravity. Mcvia drops back against a large rock and looks over to Donovich, he then looks out around the corner of the rock and searches for the sniper. Varikov looks out at the squad of stalkers again, and takes aim once more, he has his sights lined up on Praxus, and he starts to easy his trigger back and just then Malakai presses his rifle to his head and pulls the trigger. Varikov's head is pounded into the wall from the blast of the rifle, his helmet shatters into his face, his blood gushes out from skull and forms a puddle on the floor. Malakai picks up his rifle and slings it on his back then walks out of the building and signals his men to move towards Mcvia. Praxus leans out around the corner and takes aim through his sights, lining up his shot on a soldier's eye then fires, he watches his head snap back and bash against the wall.

"Guardian Angel, drop Sgt. Czetch on the North East building roof top, he'll cover the troops moving in from the North, they should arrive in ten minutes." Pilot replies, "Affirmative, moving into position for the drop." Mcvia looks up and sees the Mi24 circle around above then lowers down onto a roof and fly off to the North. "Praxus, watch that building there. I think they dropped something, I couldn't see it clearly. Praxus?" He looks over at Praxus only to see him leaning against the wall, bleeding from the chest. He rushes over to him and drags him back around the wall for cover. "Not having a very good day are you Praxus. At least now I know that when we get to Malakai the bullets will be drawn to you heh." Mcvia seals the wound with tools from a small medical pack. He looks out around the corner up to the building, then a bullet shatters the window above Mcvia's head, he falls forward startled then runs across the street, bullets hitting everywhere around him, the dirt kicking up into the air as the bullets hit the earth.

"Everyone get out of here, get out of The Zone, just get out of here, I'll catch up to you guys later, just go!" Mcvia yells. He lifts his rifle to his shoulder and looks through the sights, aiming at the sniper through a crack in the wall, he fires, then he watches the body go limp and the rifle fall from the building. He crawls back over to Praxus and carries him off into the hills, looking back as he retreats, trying to find Malakai and his men.

"I hear there is a disturbance in the Northern city, some fighting has been going on for about an hour now, what do you think it could be?" A man shaded by his hood replies, "I don't know, let's go find out" He draws his pistol and loads a fresh magazine into it and a fresh magazine into his LR-300ML. He stands and walks down from his sniper nest, moving across the shell covered floor, he walks North across the field filled with festering bodies of soldiers and stalkers alike.

Mcvia lays Praxus inside a concealed caved and leaves him with his rifle and a pistol then cautiously looks outside then walks off towards the North. Snap! The sound of a bullet hits the boulder, and Mcvia jumps back behind it. He looks to his left, he sees a dense forest and sprints for it. Bullets tear the ground apart around him as he runs, the bullets tear through trees as if they aren't even there. Mcvia raises his rifle to his shoulder and crouches as he moves inside the forest slowly, watching the area around him. The faint sound of breathing echoes, he looks around cautiously still. A swift blow to the head and he falls to the ground, he rolls onto his back quickly then fires off into the darkness. He rises to his feet and runs as fast as he can, he sees light coming from the end, he jumps through the bushes and falls nearly twenty feet into a lake. He swims to the shore and checks his rifle, he tries to fire into the ground, but nothing happens. He tosses the gun to the side and pulls out his pistols as he runs to a small set of ruins, not looking back.

The body hits the ground violently as it is pushed from the rooftop, the bones shattering as the body hit. "Take the weapons and anything else that may be useful." "Okay Malakai." The stalker runs down the stairs as Malakai picks up his rifle and slings it over his shoulder then descends down the stairs slowly, "It'll be night soon, get everyone ready to leave."

The darkness is the kind that gives you the feeling that you are not welcomed, that there is an evil deep within the halls of structure. Mcvia cautiously walks down a long dark corridor, the cold dank air fills his lungs with every breath, his hands tremble vigorously as he hears a voice in the distance. The sound of rubble shifting in the darkness causes Mcvia to drop his pistols, he scrambles to pick up the pistols then a voice yells out, "Drop your weapons! Drop your weapons! Get on the ground!" The thundering sound of gunfire fills the ruins, Mcvia shoots off into the distance while running back towards the entrance which he entered. A bullet ricochets off a stone pillar and strikes Mcvia in the back. He falls to the ground, and his pistols fall from his hands, the bullets strike the stone surface around him as he tries to escape. He manages to crawl into a small room and lays against the wall, holding his wound firmly.

Malakai and his men speed to get out of the Zone before nightfall. An orange fog rolls in quickly, the smell of death carried with it. Malakai and his men stop before passing the checkpoint. One of the men set up along side of the truck, his rifle raise, he looks down the sighting of his rifle, he gently eases back on the trigger, he fires off one round, a Russian soldier falls back towards the ground. Malakai and his men pass slowly and head towards their camp to the South.

Gunfire rings out throughout the ruins. The bullets tearing away at the walls, stone fragments fly into the air. The gunfire stops suddenly all at once, from the shadows a hand reaches out to Mcvia. Praxus smirks as he helps Mcvia to his feet and hands him a rifle. He helps Mcvia towards an exit and lays him against the wall as he bandages his wounds.

"H-- how did you find me?"

Praxus replies, "Well, with all the noise you make, who couldn't find you?" He chuckles lightly then rises to his feet and checks his rifle. Cautiously, he rounds the corner of the exit. "Let's go, it's nightfall, we're in more danger now than when in that fire-fight." They head out towards Malakai's camp, moving slowly, watching for anything that moves...

Malakai pulls into his camp. He and his men begin to unload the truck quickly as they also prepare to head out into the Zone again as soon as there is sunlight. "Try to raise Mcvia on the radio." A man nods to him and heads to the communications tent. "I need 12 men for tomorrow morning so begin to load up and get ready to leave. Pull up two jeeps and refuel the Kamaz, equip each of the jeeps with a .30 cal." Malakai and his men wait for dawn, ready to get Mcvia out of the Zone.

Mcvia and Praxus reach the city they had fought at hours earlier. Mcvia rounds the corner of a building and signals for Praxus to move up to the next. Praxus does the same until they reach a warehouse. "Do you think Malakai is still somewhere around here?"

Mcvia looks at Praxus and shakes his head, "It's already dark out, he wouldn't have stayed here." They rested for a few minutes before continuing on towards the edge of the Zone.

As they walk down the street, a silhouetted figure moves out from the shadows and faces Mcvia and Praxus. The two of them raise their weapons and take aim.

"Hold on your fire, I'm not an enemy." Another figure emerges from the shadows slowly, his cloak flowing behind him, shading his LR-300ML. "We've been following you nearly all day since the battle broke out in the city. Have you found anything of importance?"

Mcvia looks at the men, his rifle still raised, "What are you two doing out here at night?"

"I could ask you the same."

Then the man raises his rifle to his shoulder and takes aim at Mcvia. Mcvia doesn't hesitate to fire, and pulls back on the trigger quickly, firing off towards the two men. One of the men falls, screaming, while the other takes cover behind a weathered wall. He peers out and squeezes off a few rounds then takes cover again. Mcvia ducks down behind a rusted truck, and glances out at the man laying in the open, Mcvia takes aim and fires, the bullet racks the mans head, sending it into the ground forcefully.

Praxus moves up to the wall and waits for him to fire a few rounds. As the man ducks down again for cover, Praxus circles around and fires into the man. The body falls forward, limp and broken. Blood trickles down his face then drips to the ground. Praxus grabs his ammo and side-arm then he and Mcvia take off running to the South.

Nine hours later the sunlight pierces through the fog. Three vehicles move across the terrain quickly, speeding towards the city. Mcvia and Praxus rise from the grassy field and signal Malakai. They slow down and pick the two up. "Good to see you again." Malakai nods to Mcvia with a slight smirk on his face.

"Why have the military been shooting at us?" Malakai opens his side-pack and shows him a dimly glowing object.

"We found it in Chernobyl. It was causing a gravitational field around it, it was quite hard to obtain, but now that we have it, the Russian military wants to study it." The three vehicles come to a stop in a grassy field. The blades of grass sway side to side with the soft breeze in the air.

"Why have we stopped Malakai?" Mcvia asks,

"I'm not for sure." Mcvia, Praxus, Malakai and a few of the accompanying stalkers step out of the vehicle. A flash of light appears out in the distance. A stalker's body is jolted against the side of the truck, his blood flows over his eyes as his body slides down the side of the truck slowly. Everyone drops to the ground and readies their weapons.

"Sniper, to the East!" a young Stalker yells frantically before falling prey the follow-up shot. Even as the limp body fell to the ground next to Mcvia, he was jerked from his shock by a sudden realization...

To be continued...