Destination Zero (2)

With each step he took, Lando could feel the slight splashing of congealed blood under his boots. The grisly path they followed was scattered with dismembered limbs, a grisly testament to the massacre that had taken place. Charlie occasionally cast apprehensive glances at Sammy and then Lando, the air between them still charged from the earlier exchange.

To dispel the tension, Sammy responded with a slight sign of peace, his silent apology hanging in the air. Charlie, in return, gave a slight nod, a tacit acceptance of Sammy's apology. The pressing need for silence in this blood-soaked corridor transformed their verbal communication into an intricate ballet of hand signs and nods.

Casp and Renan walked flanking Lando, their guns held at the ready, their gazes intent on the dark abyss ahead. As they navigated the narrow corridor, they noticed a gradual decrease in the amount of blood staining the floor. The epicenter of the massacre seemed to have been located near the entrance of the building.

The chilling flickering of lights revealed claw marks etched deeply into the metal walls and floor, punctuating the gruesome scene. The realization dawned on Lando, filling him with a dread he hadn't felt before. These marks were not left by human hands. The more he analyzed the scratch marks, the more unnerving his conclusions became.

Finally breaking his silence, Lando whispered his fears, "I don't think we are against a human." His voice was almost drowned out by the rapid thudding of his heart, the situation escalating rapidly in their minds.

Given the depth of the scratches etched into the metal walls, no human could have inflicted such damage. This hypothesis raised the stakes, introducing a chilling element of the unknown. The thought that they might be dealing with some beastly creature, despite the widespread belief of their extinction, was a truly terrifying prospect.

Renan, noticing the change in Lando's countenance, gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sir. Do we need to take a small break?" she inquired, her head slightly tilted in a show of concern.

"Not in the hallway. If we can find another room, yes. Keep moving," Lando replied, his voice barely rising above a whisper. Casp nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze scanning the vicinity for a suitable room.

All of the doors they passed were damaged, forced open in a manner that bore the mark of unfathomable brutality. The scenes within each room were consistent: walls and floors splashed with blood, a grim testimony to the ferocity of the slaughter that took place. It seemed not a single soul had survived this carnage.

As Lando's flashlight swept across a room to his right, a small, blood-soaked object caught his attention. It was a stuffed bunny, a children's toy, lying abandoned on a bed. He frowned, his mind involuntarily wandering to the fate of the innocent children caught up in this horrendous violence. He took some solace in the fact that during the major battles and the frequent bandit raids, they had ensured the safety of unarmed individuals, particularly parents and children.

He understood the gravity of the lives they were taking - parents fighting for survival, for the future of their children. It felt fundamentally unjust that the children would be left without their guardians, and so, he had made the decision to let the non-combatants live, in spite of the "shoot to kill" orders from The Founders. This was a secret they had all sworn to keep. A small act of mercy in an otherwise cruel, war-torn world.

However, in this situation, the bandits, known for their hostility towards everyone, seemed to have already fallen victim to a threat more menacing than themselves. A silent, deadly predator that had turned the tide of violence against them.

Lando stepped into a room with an undamaged door, but it was smeared with blood, and an arm lay slightly to the side. The hand was missing all of its fingers, a grisly sight that sent shivers down their spines. Yet, undeterred, he walked over to the door, and to their surprise, it automatically slid open, revealing a scene that defied their expectations.

As they entered, the lights flickered to life, revealing a sight that left them utterly baffled. The room seemed pristine, as if untouched by the bloodshed that plagued the rest of the building. The air inside was stagnant and thick with tension.

Sammy couldn't help but voice his confusion, "Okay, what the fuck is going on?" He promptly removed his helmet, revealing his black ponytail and striking blue eyes. Lando glanced at him, equally perplexed.

"My guess is as good as yours. I have no fucking clue," Lando replied, his eyes darting around the room, trying to make sense of this inexplicable contrast.

Charlie, still visibly shaken by the horrors they had witnessed, cautiously voiced an idea, "If everyone is dead, can't we just report it back to them?" He desperately hoped they could escape this nightmare without further venturing into the unknown.

Lando shook his head, a steely determination replacing the initial confusion in his expression. "We're skilled, Charlie. We can't leave this unanswered. We need to find and kill the fuckers who did this." As he spoke, a dark snicker escaped him, a glimpse of his resolve to bring justice to those responsible.

Renan chimed in, her voice firm, "He's right. We can't turn our backs on this. Innocent lives have been brutally taken, and we owe it to them to uncover the truth and make the perpetrators pay."

Casp, ever the loyal and stoic soldier, nodded in agreement. "Let's move on. We can't stay in here for too long." His eyes were sharp, scanning the room for any potential threat.

As they ventured deeper into the heart of the building, they discovered more chilling evidence of the savage massacre that had unfolded. The walls bore deep claw marks, and in some places, entire sections were torn apart, as if by some monstrous force. Yet, there were no bodies to be found.

Despite the unsettling silence, they pushed forward, driven by their sense of duty and the need to avenge the innocent lives lost. This place was a puzzle, and they were determined to solve it.

Every corner they turned held a new surprise. One room held remnants of a struggle, with overturned furniture and shattered glass strewn about. Another had walls adorned with ominous symbols, drawn hastily in blood.

As they moved through the building, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to tighten around them, and an unshakable feeling of being watched plagued them. Yet, their resolve remained steadfast, and they pressed on with grit and determination.

The more they explored, the more the clues led to a terrifying conclusion - they were not up against mere bandits. Something sinister, something inhuman, was behind this gruesome spectacle.

Lando's jaw tightened as he clutched his rifle with renewed fervor. "Stay alert, everyone. We're dealing with a force unlike anything we've faced before," he warned, his voice echoing the unease gripping them all.

They continued to delve deeper, the dark secrets of the building slowly revealing themselves. The shadows seemed to dance around them, as if hiding some malevolent entity just out of sight.

With each step, they drew closer to the heart of darkness, ready to confront whatever lurked within. A chilling wind seemed to blow through the corridors, carrying with it whispers of the unspeakable horrors that had unfolded here.

And so, with their resolve hardened and their hearts heavy, they forged ahead, determined to uncover the truth and confront the evil that awaited them.

Upon their arrival at the main area of the bandit's lair, they found themselves standing in a broad, expansive lobby. The vast room lay in chaotic disarray: tables were overturned, chairs were shredded, computers lay shattered on the floor. Shelves had been knocked over, their contents strewn across the room. The walls were punctuated with bullet holes and splattered with dried blood, lending the space an aura of abhorrent violence. Trails of blood streaked across the floor, leading off into the ominous darkness.

Their eyes were drawn to the gruesome sign that someone, or something, had been dragged away, leaving a macabre path of blood in their wake. The sight of scattered firearms, pieces of torn clothing soaked in blood, and trails of blue blood suggested a desperate, violent struggle had taken place.

As they explored further, their flashlights illuminated numerous holes in the surrounding walls. It appeared that they had ventured underground.

"Sir, we have holes around the vicinity," Casp declared, his voice echoing in the vast, disquieting silence of the lobby. Each member of the team readied their weapons, their nerves taut with anticipation.

Suddenly, a high-pitched screech echoed from one of the holes, bouncing off the chamber's walls and sending chills down their spines. Mike bravely approached the source of the sound, his gun aimed at the darkness within. A pair of yellow, glowing eyes pierced the shadows, growing more intense as the screeching amplified.

From the darkness leapt a figure that appeared to be humanoid but decayed, its form almost completely covered in sand. Mike acted instantly, his finger squeezing the trigger, and shot the creature down. Blue blood splattered through the air, speckling the ceiling.

As the creature lay motionless, Mike approached cautiously and prodded it. Relieved, he turned back to the team, announcing triumphantly, "It's dead!" His smile was cut short when a pair of sandy hands reached out from the darkness and grasped his neck, sharp nails digging into his flesh.

His scream reverberated through the chamber as he tried to free himself, firing shots aimlessly in panic. Daniel rushed to his aid, but another pair of sandy hands gripped him by the chest. Lando watched in horror as the creature tore a chunk out of Mike's neck with a swift, vicious motion. Blood sprayed across Lando's armour, and he quickly turned his head to avoid the gruesome sight.

In the heat of the moment, Lando took aim and pulled the trigger, the bullet striking Mike's head. Mike's body fell limply to the ground, his cries of agony abruptly silenced.

The creatures emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing a menacing yellow. Their blue tongues flicked out of their mouths, revealing razor-sharp teeth and pointed, elf-like ears.

Lando opened fire, striking one of the creatures and splattering blue blood onto its companion. The surviving creature looked down at its fallen comrade, a chilling screech escaping its lips as it lunged towards Lando in a fit of rage.

Casp met the creature head-on, gripping it by the throat and slamming it down with brute force. It retaliated by spewing blue blood onto him, but Casp held it down, stomping on its head until it was nothing more than a gruesome mix of blue blood and brain matter.

The death of the creature seemed to signal an incoming onslaught, dozens of screeches echoing from the tunnels, and more glowing eyes appeared from the darkness. Casp and Renan moved closer to Lando, their resolve unwavering.

"We're always by your side, cap," Casp declared, his voice filled with resolve. Lando nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Let's fuck 'em up!" He raised his gun, steadying his aim as the screeches grew louder, and the swarm of creatures drew closer. The battle for survival was about to begin.