Time/Date Error (Damned of the 2/19th-Book Six) - Done

In the Dark and Cold

Syntax Error
Unknown Command
DANGER! Multiple Processors Offline
WARNING! CPU Core Voltage Low
WARNING! Clock Voltage Low
Volatile Memory Damage
Non-Volatile Memory Damage
Repair System Diagnostic CRC Error
Repair System Status: Unknown

"I hate this place," someone's voice floated out of the dark hallway outside the room. I picked up the flashlight and clicked it off, turning around and facing the bathroom door in the darkness. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Visual purple released into my eyes and when I opened them everything slowly began to brighten up from pitch black to shapes in the darkness. Flashlights were sweeping outside the door, throwing patches of light on the glittering frost and ice that was covering the walls and doors.

"Look, that chick said that her squad leader had the keys to the vehicles. We need those keys," another voice answered.

...two targets...

"I want off this goddamn mountain," the first said. "Goddamn it, I hope that grinning fucker isn't anywhere around. You're sure that guy is dead? He fucked up Kellington and Michaels really bad. I don't want that big fucker coming at me."

...Tandy...

"Calm down. Hastings said he wasted that Stillwater guy, he should still be there. Even if he wasn't dead, he's probably frozen to death by now," The second said. "Stop being such a fucking pussy. There, there's the door that came down in the fight, he should be in there."

The sheathe on my boot was empty, same with the one at the small of my back. Someone had disarmed me, but that was all right. I straightened up, rolling my shoulders. The surgical repair I'd had in the spring had done wonders, there wasn't even tightness any more. I took a deep breath as the flashlights panned over the doorway.

"He's in the room. Hastings said him and Wemmel stomped him to make sure he was dead," The second said.

The darkness was comfortable and almost felt like it was wrapping around me as the two men stepped into the room, carefully stepping over the door. I closed my good eye, shifted to the side, to in front of the toilet, so that the wall was in the way, right before they panned their flashlights over the wall.

"What the hell? Where is he? Why is the window open?" the second guy asked.

"I don't know. We need to get the fuck out of here if that big mother fucker is gone," The first said. Both turned and left the room, stepping over the door.

They moved out of the room and I followed them, moving silently like the Rangers had shown us during Copper Window. Normally I was a stomper, but this time I wanted quiet. I knew they wouldn't look behind them, they never did.

"Christ, goddamn Wemmel and Hastings said that big fucker was dead," The second said. They were hustling it down the hallway.

"He's probably going for his vehicles," the first said.

"Maybe those pregnant bitches?" the second offered.

"Naw, he'd go for that hard core bitch we had to lock up," the first corrected him, "She carved the shit out Blaire and Garvin before we knocked her out."

...Nancy?...

"We gotta tell Hastings. If Lieutenant Carson or Captain Rebel gets a hold of those vehicles they'll be able to get the fuck off this mountain and you just know those assholes will leave whoever isn't one of their ass buddies," the first kept going.

They moved into the middle stairwell and I waited at the third floor landing. I could tell by the stencil on the wall that led "LOBOTOMY WARD NORTH/SOUTH" where I was now. I watched them move down to the bottom floor, near the QASI offices and supply rooms. I counted to three and ghosted out of them, keeping to the wall side of the stairs and landings, keeping silent. I actually caught the door before it closed all the way and saw them go into the supplies used for setting up camps.