Into the Abyss

[arvg]

The Social Credit roared low over the horizon of the shattered world, skimming around blast craters that still cooked with the residual radiation from the Phantom assault. The ship dipping as it approached the outskirts of an industrial sector, a long line of old, disused fuel tanks, pipes and girders.

Pasha was smoking a cigarette as he grabbed the first recruit by both arms and hurled him out of the rear ramp, watching the terrified youth crash through the roof of an abandoned supervisors mobile office. Pasha taking a quick glance down, as the Storm swept up and around, leaving the youth on his own at the drop off point.

"Next!" the Master Chief said as he turned and grabbed the woman with the grenade launcher... "hold your breath!" he ordered as he roughly pitched her out of the hatch, watching her arms and legs flailing as she hit the water of a large reservoir. Shaking his head as she went under.

"You!" he grabbed another pilot, a tougher looking man this time. "Your turn... I suggest you tuck and roll..."

He shoved the man out as well, the recruit crashing into the roof of a watchtower, slidding down the heavilly slanted roof and plunging out of sight.

"Damn... I said tuck and roll, not roll and tuck..." he rubbed his face as the Storm moved on.

"You," he grabbed another one. Pushing a large red bottle into his hand marked ketchup. "You know how to run, Da?"

The Recruit looked at him in sheer terror.

Pasha shook his head, grinning sadistically as he sent this one hurling towards the parking lot of what had once been AgroProm... a notorious 'survivor' camp, packed full of brain damaged and quite hungry bandits.

He chuckled as the Storm blasted skywards, sweeping towards a blasted out office tower, the ship slipping past the shattered windows and gnarled girders. Lifting up towards the roof he gestured to the next pair. "Go!" he yelled watching them leap for the roof, and shaking his head as the roof gave way underneath them, a crashing sound as the surrounding roof structure gave way, depositing them somewhere deep inside the ruins.

"You're breaking up the squad!" Someone yelled at him.

Pasha nodded. "Da, more of a chance you will actually make the bunker this way." he tossed the recruit out of the cargo bay, and into the mud of what had once been a small experimental farm.

"Cruz, Alvarez!" Pasha called, grabbing the first of the scouts, as the Storm cut low towards the edge of the small city on the far side of the complex. He tapped Alvarez on the shoulder and pushing him out, sending him to the ground, as a few moments later Cruz joined him.

Smirking at them as the Storm lifted off.

The Scouts thought they had it easy... Pasha shook his head. With all the security around the secret TALOS complex, the town approach probably had the most. And since they were meant to be bait, giving the others a clear run...

The Storm curved up, as the senior officers assembled around the bay, the Storm settling in for a landing at the edge of the complex. The "Ground Bait" successfully spread about, whatever had taken over the complex was going to have its hands full trying to cover all of its bases, leaving the path open for the Lieutenant to get inside and out undetected.

"Good luck Comrade Murray," Pasha stated stubbing out his cigarette and picking up a shotgun, just incase something decided to come sniffing about the invisible ship.

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