Furnace (Hunter-Killer #1)

Chapter 25 - Between Crazy and Stupid

Only when the blast door clanged shut again did the enormity of what he'd just done catch up to him. Like a deflating balloon his legs gave out and Ryke collapsed into a sitting position. Only now did he realise that he was drenched in sweat, his whole body trembling violently as adrenaline surged through his system.

Footsteps filled his ears as he took a series of calming breath, not quite believing that he'd survived the encounter. He was dimly aware of shadows falling across him, voices roiling in his ears in a vague tumble. A hand clamped down on his shoulder. It took a few second for his mind to snap back into gear and he realised those voices were his superior officers.

Ryke's head jerked up and found himself looking into the eye of Colonel Hackley, the woman's face tight with both concern and amazement. He blinked; refocused. General Theikvaal stood off to her right. An astonished looking Scout Cadre major squinted at him from the other shoulder.

"Vannigan – are you okay?" Hackley asked.

"I... err..." He blinked again and glanced around. Yes, he really was out of the tank – away from the Scraegan. He exhaled a long breath and a smile flashed across his face. "All in one piece, ma'am."

"By the Everflowing," the major chuckled. His tanned, weathered features crumpled into a grin, light rebounding off the bald dome of his head. "You've got an iron spine, kid."

"Thank you, sir." Ryke pressed his palms against the metal wall behind him, using it to push himself up to his feet. He ruffled a hand through his messy hair and cast a glance back at the tank. "That was a hell of a thing."

"You're telling me, son," Theikvaal rumbled. "I've never seen anything like that. Would have bet my medals that beast would've pasted you as soon as you stepped in there."

Ryke shrugged. "I thought so too."

"And you volunteered anyway?!"

"Well, somebody had to try."

Theikvaal snorted derisively. "Hunter-Killers – you're all off the damn reservation, aren't you? Well, good work, Sergeant. Come with us."

Ryke nodded, obediently falling into line as Theikvaal turned on his heel, leading them away from the entrance to the containment barrel and through to an adjoining room, passing technicians and observers who chattered excitedly, sidelong looks flashing Ryke's way when they thought he wasn't looking. Just before they exited through an adjoining armoured door he shot one last glance at the containment tank, the memory of the encounter seared into his brain.

Theikvaal led the small group through into a narrow connecting hallway in the bowels of the Forge, turning right, then left, then right up a blocky flight of stairs. The stairwell climbed three levels in a right-angled spiral until Ryke was led out into a long room manned by half a dozen Forge technicians. An oblong pane of glass dominated one wall, looking out over the massive containment tank.

Ryke's eyes widened as he followed Theikvaal towards the window. On the screens in the observation room he noticed with some surprise that already recordings of his encounter were being played back over and over, the attendants rapidly noting down any data they deemed necessary. Only now, seeing the playback, did Ryke see the absurd scale of the creature he'd so willingly strode in to confront. He looked like a child's toy on the recording, staring down a god.

A shudder went up his spine and he shook off the sudden feeling of inferiority, instead turning his attention to his superiors who had gathered around a larger monitor built into the console beneath the window. On it was the picture from the medallion: the mysterious 'All-Na' that had send the Scraegan into such a fury. All around it were snapshots from his encounter and a dozen different audio recordings. A technician with a truly enormous headset scrolled through them, nodding occasionally and typing in readings.