"Screw this!" James muttered under his breath. He lowered himself down into the catacombs. Hendricks told him to stay put, but he that was 10 minutes ago. Hendricks always wanted to go for the glory. This usually meant that James would be the one cleaning up the mess.
"James? What the hell are you doing?" Brad asked nervously. " Come on man. We need to guard the entrance just in case-"
"Then guard the entrance. I don't need your help, " James smirked. Brad was a rookie. He joined the Brotherhood about a year ago, and this was his first assignment. He showed a lot of promise during his training, placing records second to James. Almost as good as me, James laughed to himself. The only reason why he is nervous is because he wants to prove himself to the priests. Brad was hoping to go on special assignments like James and his brother Luke. Besides, James was already planning on taking his long and overdo leave from the Brotherhood. His service time was up a year ago and kind of wanted to start doing something new. He would definitely put in a good word for Brad.
"Hey man wait up! Brad said panting. "I don't want to miss all of the action."
" Well you will if you don't shut up!" James said cupping his hand over Brad's mouth. James grabbed a vial out of his utility pocket from his ragged pants. "Here drink this. Makes you see in the dark." Brad grabbed it the vial from James. "Bottoms up."
The both started down the long, and narrow entrance into the catacombs. It was an old, musty tomb where vampires would hide during the crusades. Many famous vampires were buried down in these dense walls. It was patrolled regularly by a garrison of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood was the remnants of the Templar knights. Before the Templar Knights, warrior monks used to hunt down and destroy any mythical creature that roamed the planet. When the Christian Church was founded, the first Pope took in these warriors and made them Knights. Ever since then, the "Templar Knights" now called the Brotherhood have been fighting monsters to keep humanity on top where it should be.
"How long ago did Hendricks go down here?" Brad whispered to James.
"About 15 minutes." James answered.
"I don't like this man. Why would vampires want to come here? I mean it's just a bunch of sleeping bodies? Right?"
"I don't know Brad. Let's check the security hub."
James and Brad moved swiftly down the stairs into the grand hall of the catacombs. The hall was a massive opening at the pinnacle of the catacombs. Below was thousands of vampire sleeping chambers where vampire ancestors would go into deep hibernation before the Brotherhood found it. Now it's just a big prison where the brotherhood monitor the vampire's ancestors, interrogating them for key information about strongholds.
"AH man James. This doesn't look good man" Brad said fumbling over the data modules.
"Spit it out Brad!"
"Aight man. Whole garrison is whipped out. No sign of Hendricks anywhere or his men."
"What about prisoners?" Brad did not answer. "Brad what about the prisoners?"
"Gone James...they're gone.." Brad looked at James helplessly. James knew this was more than Brad could handle, but if push came to shove, James could handle himself. However, with Brad with him there was no way both were going to get out alive.
"Alright radio HQ. Activate emergency protocols. Once you have done that get the hell out of here...understand?!"
"What about you James? Where are you going? Come on man Hendricks is dead!"
"You don't know that. Just do what I said okay? Once you activate those protocols, you better pray to God there are still not here."
"What about you James?" Brad asked .
"I'm not the rookie kid. I can handle myself." James winked at Brad and started to descend down the emergency stairway. He drank another vial to make his vision go to normal for about any second now the alarms and emergency lighting would flood these dark catacombs. He squatted in the corner of the stairwell which he believed said floor 3. Damn...he had at least 700 more floors to cover and chances of finding Hendricks and his gang would be slim. He loaded his assault rifle with silver bullets blessed by holy water. He took out his sword and started to rub holy water on it.
"Come on Brad!" he whispered out loud. "Let's go man". He began to recheck his weapons when the emergency lights flashed on and the alarm echoed through the halls. Time to go he thought to himself. He sprinted down the emergency stairs hoping to hear shouts or screams. But the faster he ran down the steps, the only thing he could here was pursuit of his own feet's echo.
Damn it James he thought to himself. He stopped around floor 50 to see if he could hear anything. After the echo died out he heard nothing. He waited for a minute to be sure and decided to take off again. About another 50 floors down he repeated the same thing. Stop and wait for a minute. After doing this about 2 more times James felt like it was useless. Come on James man....think! Damn it! Think. What's on the last floor?! Got to be important right? What was Hendricks after......the oracle! Christ how did I forget about that, James cussed to himself. But how am I going to get down?
The emergency stairs will be the only thing keeping the vampires out. The water spray system was rigged with Holy water. So if a Vampire was in the emergency staircase, chances are it would be like a monsoon. But why is no one in here if it is safe?, James thought to himself. No time to think. He looked down the stair case. "Damn this is going to be one hell of a jump", he sarcastically yelled out loud. "Just had to play hero James. Couldn't let the rookie do it. Just had to be the generous son-of-a bitch you are." He looked down on more time. "Well here we go".
He jumped of the railing that goes around the mid section of the stairs. Here he barely fit through the little empty space that dropped 700 floors. He shot his cross bow about 5 seconds in and tied himself with the rope. "Jesus fucking Christ!" he screamed out in agony. He was at floor 690. "Shit man...I think I just dislocated my shoulder for the 5th time," he mumbled. He pressed the trigger on his crossbow that released his rope and grabbed onto one of the midsection rails. "Man some things are not easy. You think they could invest some money on a elevator," he cursed out loud. He remembered that this facility did have a emergency elevator, but it was too easy for the vampires to sabotage the system. Or maybe it was too much money upkeep. He was glad at least the emergency stair case did its job
Running down the 10 remaining floors, he slammed through the oracle door finger ready on the trigger. To his surprise he saw Hendricks tied up and his squad being eaten by a mob of Vampires. "You?!" a voice shouted from above. All the vampires stopped feasting on Hendricks men and were all staring at James.
"Sorry to crash you guys party, but I'm not sure you guys were invited." He opened fire just spraying his gun around the room. He managed to take at least several down, more like blood sucking bats then the real vampires. He took cover behind a rock. The oracle storage room was like a big cavern filled with eerie gothic funnel structures from the ceiling. There is one pathway to the oracle which is just one narrow, windy rock path. Lucky for James this wasn't an Intel grab and run, but a rescue mission.
"Aight time to bring the rain." He pulled two grenades from his vest and into the onslaught of vampires. Filled with holy water and silver fragments, it was no match for the vampires. James ran for Hendricks.
"James what the hell took you so long?!" Hendricks yelled.
"Babysitting the rookie you gave me. Besides I got held up on the elevators." James joked around.
"Very funny wise guy. Here untie my hands."
"Knife on top of my vest. Grab it quick I got to lay some supporting fire."
Hendricks grabbed his knife and James started to lay some supporting rounds scaring the vampire minions which were bat like ghouls back into their hiding positions.
"You think you're getting out here alive human?" a voice spoke to James from behind. He turned around to be thrown towards the oracle.
"James!" Hendricks shouted.
"Damnit!", James muttered under is breathe. "Save yourself Hendricks!" James yelled across the room. Hendricks rolled behind the vampire who just threw James and escaped through emergency stair case. This vampire was a female hybrid vampire. Or at least he hoped so. No telling it could be an ancestor with all the vampires hiding down here. She did have red eyes and red hair which usually indicated ancestor possibility to be more prevalent, but it still was just a probability. Not to mention the sword she carried with her.
"James Frost." her voice shuddered the catacomb. James was stunned. How does she know my name? James tried to reach for his assault rifle which was two feet from him but was kicked away from it by the vampire woman. Probably ancestor he thought to himself. No way a hybrid could move like that.
"The time has come for you to die!", she hissed. She drew her sword form her sheath. Reacting, he grabbed a dagger stashed around his calf. He turned his back and positioned himself so her blade got caught between his back and his sword.
"Sorry babes, but not today." He took his dagger and ran it through her neck. She let out a scream and disintegrated. James readied himself for any more incoming opponents, but none seemed daring enough to cross blades with him. They all shrieked at him, warning him upon future doom and crawled away into the darkness. Shaken up, James regained his bearings and headed for the oracle.
"Now let's see what these little vermin were up to," James said out loud. He activated the oracle's security camera looking in on shrine from its control room. He accessed it's audio and video log to find nothing. "Damnit! They've must have erased it."Great he thought. Now there is no telling what really was the cause of this uprising. James checked the remaining bodies of Hendrick's men. After checking for survivors, James Slumped down in the control room with the intercom radio. "This is James Frost from special tasks group....does anyone copy over?" The static on the other end was a deafening roar possibilities of an attack outside the catacombs.
"Frost, it's me Ken. What's you're position and status?"
"I'm in the oracle room. And I can walk? Did Brad make it out ok?"
"Yeah he's fine. But you are not in about a minute. We are blowing this place up!" James perked up from this comment. 700 floors and some more to get out? No way he can make taking the emergency stairs. Not to mention the guest worker's elevators are busted.
"What about the oracle Ken? For Christ Sakes, I have no time to get out of here!"
"Frost, activate the oracle's defense shields. They should with stand the blast. If you rappel off the walkway, there is a water system leading out of the cave. Good luck!" Ken said.
"And good luck to you piece of-", James said getting up.
"Lilly! A voice screamed out from the shrine. James stood up and readied his gun. "Lilly no! Lilly, I told you not to fight him!" James walked out from the control room to find a young, beautiful girl with long red, velvet hair and piercing blood like eyes holding what seemed to be a necklace that belonged to the vampire he just slained. "Lilly!" she sobbed. She looked up at James with anger and pain. James faltered for a bit and was succumbed by a weird attraction to this girl. "What are you doing?! This place is about to blow to hell. Get out of here!" James shouted at the poor soul.
"Why do you care if I live or die human?!" she screamed. A huge explosion erupted and shook the cavern. The cave was trembling like a fierce beast was awakening.
"What are you doing?" James said running towards her. The oracle started to let go a blue light from its structure.
"Get away from me you human. I will kill you for what you did!" the girl shrieked.
"Listen to me. You are not the only person who lost someone", James yelled over the monstrous roar. He grabbed her and put her over his shoulder.
"Put me down human!" she yelled. James threw her in the oracle and ran to the control room. "What are you doing you stupid human?"
"Saving your life", James said. Shields came up around the oracle and the ceiling began to cave in. The last thing the girl saw was James jumping off the walkway.
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