�Aye sir� but what is the purpose?�
�I�m quite sure this base will be locked down quite tightly. The ventilation shafts may provide our means of escape. Any attempt to poison us would result in the death of everyone in this facility.� N�tn�see lifted David with his powerful arms, and he began working on the opening of the above hatch.
As he did so, the footsteps behind them were growing louder. Straining his arms, and with the help of N�tn�see, he hoisted himself up. He quickly followed suit in retrieving the rest of his team, and he only got the hatch closed in time to hear the lab door being forced open.
�This is the only place they could�ve gone.� began the security troop. �All of the other facilities were successfully locked down. And we haven�t exactly heard any pops.� By this he meant that the other rooms had their atmosphere pumped, leaving those rooms with no air pressure and no air to breathe. This also meant that they would have to leave the shaft through some way other than through another room.
�Very well,� said the officer. �I want this room pumped as well. Continue your search!� As he said this, the shaft cover through which they were watching the rebels suddenly sealed itself shut, closing out sound, sight, and air to the room below.
�Well�, said William. �I guess we should proceed? I downloaded a copy of this building�s schematics before we left the room, and it looks like our only way out is a roof escape. They have motion detectors outside, but they only detect horizontal change, so it�ll still look like we�re inside.�
The team proceeded crawling through the shaft. Though they were engulfed in total darkness, William had memorized the shaft map, and guided the team around every corner. They didn�t need to worry too much about being seen or heard, as the shaft was sealed except at the roof. After nearly 20 minutes of knee-bleeding crawling, the team began to see daylight at the end of the tunnel.
N�tn�see, with his awesome eyesight, crept out first, checking for enemies.
�Sir, area clear. No hostiles present� he reported. Looking around, with the planet�s sun setting so peacefully amidst the jagged hateful rocks beyond, noticed a helipad with an old KA-78 chopper still docked. �William, you said that their motion detectors only detect horizontal movement?�
�Correct� stated William. He was curious as to what N�tn�see�s plan might be.
�Any volunteer pilots?� asked David.
�Aye, sir� Hisheena responded. Of all of his team members, Hisheena was the only member whom had not shaved her hair. She instead had her silky, dark hair worn with some gel, and had her insignia tattooed on the left side of her neck. She was also the best pilot among them, and David had hoped it would be she whom piloted the chopper.
As the doors sealed, Hisheena began to familiarize herself with the Russian chopper, becoming a single object; she always unified with the vehicle in a way David never fully understood.
The engines began their whiny whir, and the blades began to revolve slowly, merging from a gentle memorizing rotation, to a mind boggling sonic spin. It rose slightly, first only a couple of centimeters and then shooting up at several meters per second. They had to stay in a vertical rise, for if they left the base�s horizontal perimeter the clanners would know they were outside of the base.
Their mission now was to get out of the motion tracker�s range, which Will indicated was a mere 5,000 meters, then proceed to a dense forest they had seen on the map earlier. From there, they would need to proceed to another bunker-like facility, only smaller, to meet with their informant. This person was the one whom was working with the Alliance to set up a meeting between them and the clan. They might not have a negotiator, but it was their only possible means of escape.
�Sir!� called N�tn�see from the back of the cabin.
�Yes?� responded David.
�Sir, I have discovered some sort of case or chest; it contains several firearms that we can use. They are live-fire, not Tranq, but they are quite decent rifles. There�s M67�s and M9�s.�
�Good�, began David. �Hand a set to everyone and divide the magazines and ammo among us equally.�
�Aye sir. It also seems there is a sniper rifle here; no ammunition, but it has a descent scope. Shall we keep it?�
�Of course. It shall come in handy for recon.�
The craft lurched forward, as David noticed the altimeter reporting a height of 5,332 meters. They were over 300 meters out of the motion sensor�s range, but he knew Hisheena wouldn�t take chances. David rested his head against the seat, and slowly drifted to sleep.
He had a lot on his mind, like how he was to complete his mission with well over ninety percent of his crew dead, Sam�s double crossing, and how he was going to get home. They hadn�t received any transmissions from their ship that was supposed to be orbiting on one of the nearby planets since before their crash.
Thoughts constantly drifted in and out of him, the craft slowly lulling him to sleep. He needed to be at full alert when they landed, for scouting the area. Their efforts to survive seemed hopeless, but surrender was never an option that crossed his many thoughts.
