Deadman - Book 3 Chapter 58: No Evidence

After leaving the bunker I made my way into the nearest deadzone to take stock. I kept flexing my fingers and toes, counting them to make sure everything was where it should be. I would work my attention from the bottom of my feet through to the top of my head, where the conspicuous absence of the hat Deux had just given me could be felt. I noticed that the scars on my back were still there, and still ached though at this point I had to assume that the pain was a phantom memory of when they’d been caused rather than anything real. While I did all of this, I ate almost the entirety of what food I’d brought with me, and drained a full canteen of water. The ambient radioactivity in the air that I was taking in helped to ease my hunger and thirst, and assisted with the recovery of my energy, but I needed both to recover.

I considered my options. If this first bunker had been trapped, then there was a distinct possibility that the others were as well. If I went to explore them, then I would be putting myself at risk, deep in enemy territory. There was also the chance that the bunker I’d just been in was being monitored somehow, or at least routinely checked. By walking into the trap that had been laid for me, I could’ve alerted all of the Remnants to my presence. At the same time, I had no information on what had been in that bunker. Nothing aside from the fact that it was physically large, and the Remnants didn’t want anyone to have even the slightest idea of what it was. That, of course, meant that I needed to know what it was.

Once I was done eating, and regained enough strength I got up and moved. It was possible that even if I’d notified the Remnants of my presence I may be able to move quickly enough to avoid the majority of potential trouble, though that was a long shot considering the care with which the trap in the first bunker had been laid.

It didn’t take me long to reach the second bunker. The three were in a cluster, and I managed to reach this one by nightfall. Just like the first one, I smelled no one nearby, and saw the signs that, while the bunker had been active, it no longer was. This time I tread much more carefully, keeping my eyes scanning for threats and inhaling deeply for any signs of traps or forces hidden in ambush. I detected nothing, just like the first time, but that only made me more wary. The earth in front of the bunker looked fresh, as if it had been recently dug up.

I threw a heavy rock onto it, but there was no explosion or sign that there were any explosives lying beneath it. Still, I took the long way around to make my way inside. This one was smaller than the last one, more the size of a typical bunker. I felt a tinge of radiation in the air that indicated whatever had been worked on within was giving off a fair amount of rads, but just like the first bunker there was no indication of what it might have been. The computers had been cleared out, as had any relevant documents, and once again even the names on doors, and above hallways had been destroyed so that no hint could be gleaned from them. Unlike the last bunker though, there were no sealed doors, or other traps inside.

I stayed cautious anyway, making my way outside with the same care in which I’d made my way in When I set foot outside, there were no new smells, but greeting me were a half dozen drone platforms. They were covered in guns, and dirt, having dug themselves out from beneath the disturbed earth I’d noted before. The moment I walked out of the doorway, every one of their guns swiveled with a mechanic whirring in my direction.

I activated my shield bracelet and dove toward the nearest of them. Bullets lit bright lights across the shield as they bounced off, and I unslung, then unsheathed my sword, activating it as I approached the first of the drones. I was moving quickly, but the automatic tracking of the platforms was effective, and my shield was running out of juice quickly. I drove my sword into the drone, and jumped onto it, rending a deep cut through it, and putting it in the line of fire of the other drones. I gave it a few more quick slashes, and between that and the fire from the other drones, it died. I took cover behind it momentarily and checked the status of my bracelet. It had only a bit of juice left, and I still needed to deal with five weapons platforms. At this point, it was likely possible that I could just sit and let myself be carved to bits until the drones were out of ammunition, but I didn’t want to risk that. Relying on my healing too much was dangerous, and while I’d been able to put myself back together this time, I didn’t see any reason to push it.

I heard the remaining drones begin to move to flank me. I drew what explosives I still had left, and started throwing grenades where I predicted the next of them would appear. I was right on the money, but it took all of my explosives to take it out. From there I ran toward the nearest drone, and slid to the right of it to take cover from the others, putting that one between myself and them, then I slammed my sword deep into it, deactivating it as I did so. With three left I started to understand the drones weaknesses. They had a routine that they followed, and it was a very simple one, search and destroy. They couldn’t behave unpredictably, and that gave me an advantage.

Just like the last time, as I waited behind the destroyed drone, the other three began to move in order to flank me. I pulled out my Cerberus and fired where I knew the first one would appear. It moved directly into the line of red energy, and barely managed a small salvo of fire before exploding. I moved to stand with my back covered by the destroyed drone I’d been behind, facing another of them. This one fired a bit longer, depleting the last of my shield and hitting me with a few shots to the gut, but I managed to take it out with more Cerberus fire, finding it easy to follow their movements.

My cerberus was out of ammo at this point, and I tossed it down, crouching behind the downed drone as the last one tried to circle around and from there I simply walked in a slow circle around it as the drone tried to flank me. As it tried to target me it got closer and closer, so all I needed to do was wait until it was within reach of my sword. Once it was, I leapt at it, and drove my blade deep into its chassis, disabling it before it managed to get even a handful of shots off.

With the last one dead, I made my way away from the bunker entrance, and started heading toward the third bunker. I was now nearly out of food and water, my explosives were used up, and I was completely out of heavy las-power. This one was the furthest from the other two, and on the furthest edge of STAR territory. I was surprised to find, in fact, that this one was located in a deadzone. I thought myself lucky, thinking that would make it more likely to be intact, but was disappointed to find that wasn’t the case. There was no subtlety this time. No trap. Just a massive crater where the bunker would have been. Perfectly circular, leaving no hint to what might have been.

I walked the edges of the crater, feeling the presence of a massive amount of radiation. It was clear that the initial blast rivaled the power of one of the old nuclear explosions that had made up the opening salvo of the war that had created the wasteland. The radiation itself was at the same level of the deepest parts of the cut, where the wyrms resided.

The only hint this bunker gave me, was a number of tire tracks leading away. Clearly, the remnants had thought whatever was within the bunker warranted risking the rads. There was nothing for me here. My teeth itched as I thought of all the possibilities of what the Remnants might have got their hands on. I brought a hand up to pick at my teeth, and started walking again.