The Icebox - 24. The Last Mission

Henson

 

I try my best to ignore the banging on the glass.

 

We’re back on the ship.

 

We failed our mission after it was so close to being a success!

 

So many lives are lost and there is nothing we can do to bring them back.

 

“Let me out of here, carajo!”

 

I wince at Zafiro’s yelling but keep ignoring him.

 

He’s locked up in that little glass cage we made for situations like these.

 

If he lost control in the field, he was going to be placed there until we get back home.

 

Unfortunately that leaves him in the view of everyone on board.

 

The rest of the squad is still in a state of shock at what happened down there.

 

I have an idea on how to make it up to those lives that have been lost.

 

I move over to Alex’s ship connected to mine.

 

She’s pacing back and forth by herself in there.

 

As soon as she sees me, She opens her mouth to say something but she simply sighs and shakes her head.

 

She continues pacing.

 

“I have an idea to try and save this,” I say.

 

She scoffs and shakes her head. “Are you insane? I mean I figured with this whole thing you’ve got going on, but holy shit, Henson!”

 

I nod along.

 

“I mean look at that!”

 

She motions to the body next to her.

 

Mikalos unfortunately didn’t make it.

 

Zafiro landing on his head took him out quickly.

 

Seeing that dent in the side of his head makes me look away.

 

“Alex, if we go back now after this, everything is over,” I say while staring at the floor. “All we’ve worked for! Hell, I think we’d be taken out of service.”

 

At her silence, I look up at her.

 

She is glaring towards the doorway to the squad.

 

“This is your project, Henson. I told you I wasn’t in support of putting our trust in criminals! The last two missions have shown exactly why we shouldn’t.”

 

How could I deny that?

 

Actually I sort of can.

 

“The main issue was Zafiro,” I add. “The others have proven themselves as trustworthy.”

 

She rolls her eyes. “They've only done three missions. Meanwhile I’ve done hundreds by now. Who the fuck do you think our own citizens are going to trust more?”

 

“I get that, Alex. This isn’t about what they think they want. It’s what they need. Surely you’ve realized how much easier these missions have gone. We’ve blazed through these places like Star Squad did!”

 

She sighs.

 

Star Squad is a testy subject among a lot of squadrons.

 

Before Mekaias had shown up, one of the first squadrons to have aliens teaming up with humans was Star Squad.

 

It was a big move to try and coax other races into allowing their people to join our ranks.

 

When Mekaias arrived, he showed just how strong that team could be with the right abilities.

 

I know I’m being selfish with Zafiro.

 

He’s borderline my Alentian replacement.

 

He doesn’t have any flashy abilities like Mekaias but he does get the job done.

 

“You’re right about that,” She says. “At least we don’t have such high kill counts on most of our operations.”

 

I will admit that is a huge problem.

 

Somehow someone always dies.

 

Again it is mainly Zafiro.

 

My lesson has been learned.

 

He will never go on another mission again.

 

Alex groans in annoyance and radios her squad.

 

“I need someone to scan a factory for me.”

 

I smile at her in thanks.

 

I will try and fix this!

 

~~~

 

Zafiro

 

I slam my fist against the glass and growl in annoyance.

 

“Fucking let me out, you assholes!”

 

Everyone keeps ignoring me.

 

They are getting ready to go on some mission again.

 

“I need to help you guys!”

 

I press my back to the glass behind me and kick at the other side with my foot.

 

These bitches!

 

It’s not like I meant to slam that nerd’s head into that holoscreen!

 

It was an accident!

 

Glancing to my right, I see that guy laying down on a bed in Blondie’s ship.

 

He’s still knocked out at the moment which I feel a little guilty about.

 

Honestly after that little fire squad, I don’t remember much of what happened. It’s like I blinked and suddenly I’m getting yelled at and dragged into this little fish bowl.

 

Now they wanna keep me in here?

 

“It’s happening!”

“They are abandoning you like everyone else did!”

“But it’s okay! You have us now.”

 

My chest aches as I watch them spring out the door without me.

 

Why?

 

Why are they doing this?

 

My heart starts pounding and it gets a lot harder to breathe.

 

My eyes are watering and dammit a few tears are falling.

 

I thought things were getting better again! What did I do now? Why do they want to leave me?

 

They are leaving me to die alone!

 

I bang against the glass again.

 

“Please,” I cry out and kick. “Let me out of here, please!!”

 

Blondie ignores me. I know she’s still here!

 

Someone clears their throat next to me.

 

It’s the guy in bed!

 

“You’re going to want to hurry out of here,” He says looking at me.

 

I sniff and wipe at my face. “Why?”

 

He smiles. “Your friends are in danger. It’s only a matter of time now.”

 

Everything feels cold now and I stare at the now closed door.

 

I need to help them!

 

I can save them and make them like me again!

 

It’s starting to feel like the air is getting sucked out of here and I punch at the glass again.

 

Fuck I need to get to Zee!

 

I punch again.

 

My knuckles throb but I don’t care!

 

I clench my jaw and kick as hard as I can!

 

All I get is a shake of the glass.

 

“I guess you didn’t care about them enough,” That guy chuckles to himself.

 

Ignoring him, I start panicking.

 

It feels harder to breathe and I need to get out now!

 

I bang over and over with my fists and each time light flickers across my vision.

 

Parts of the glass slowly begin to fill in with color like it did for those shooters before.

 

The guy laughs in the room next door. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

 

I ready my fists and plant my feet to get out of here.

 

~~~

 

Alexa

 

I keep my gun aimed for the doorway to the pilot seat.

 

My hands are shaking but dammit I swear I’ll be ready!

 

Zafiro started talking as if someone was there.

 

Nobody else is on this ship but me and my scout.

 

The only other body here doesn’t have a pulse.

 

Franky trembles in his seat as we hear the banging pick up again against the glass.

 

I glance at my screen and see Zafiro absolutely wailing on that cage.

 

Cracks begin to form as he punches the glass so hard, the ship shakes with each impact.

 

I’ve felt his strength before. Those punches are lethal.

 

I watch him break through with a loud growl,

 

He looks around for his weapons but all he grabs is his metal baton.

 

Next thing he does is sprint out the door.

 

As soon as he is gone, I radio to Henson that Zafiro is coming.

 

Zee

 

I grip onto my gun tightly as we walk down the dock to the rundown factory.

 

It’s not as big as the other by a long shot, but it’s definitely the creepiest.

 

I don't see any lights coming from it. I’m almost certain nobody is here.

 

Alex’s scanners said there were multiple lifesigns.

 

It also couldn’t scan the layout of the building.

 

Something is blocking it.

 

That only proved to Henson that the Burn was really in there.

 

We all march along slowly.

 

Henson has decided to set up inside a small shack with some of Alex’s team.

 

We were told that the Burn does not need to be taken in alive. All that matters is taking him out.

 

This feels very off.

 

I would’ve thought the boss would have the fanciest lair or something.

 

Why would he be in this shitty fish factory?

 

Anjak leads the charge as we reach the factory.

 

We follow along the side of it with the dock until we’re near the end.

 

This place looks like it was under construction. Lots of scaffolding along the side with the dock.

 

It’s only about three stories tall but we were told to start from the bottom.

 

Charlie pats my shoulder and nods towards the empty wall of the factory.

 

I nod and press my hands to it, letting my augment flare up to break inside.

 

Anjak leads the way again and we all slip in.

 

It is very dark here.

 

I quickly make some glowing orbs to help us see.

 

Gus uses his hand as a flashlight ahead of us.

 

I frown when I see how much fancier it is here.

 

The walls and floor have smooth and clear metal paneling.

 

There are boxy machines lining the walls with glass windows.

 

We slowly make are way pass them but I bring one of my orbs close to peek inside.

 

My eyes widen when I see the monstrosity inside.

 

Some kind of humanoid fleshy thing is in there submerged in water.

 

Its face looks somewhat human but it has no hair, ears, or nose. Where its ears should be are short boney horns. Where a human nose would be is two holes as if the old nose was torn off.

 

The flesh looks torn and burnt creating a stomach turning texture.

 

Its eyes are closed but it’s definitely alive.

 

A breathing device is sewn into its mouth and air bubbles escape every few seconds.

 

When I walk by more, I see more and more just like the ones I just saw.

 

Some of them look a little different with skin color but not much else.

 

All that grotesque monster vibe.

 

I can’t tell if these are aliens or not.

 

Part of me feels they look like modified humans. Their anatomy in the face looks too similar to ours.

 

It’s hard to tell.

 

I panic when I realize everyone kept going on without me.

 

I hurry past the creepy tanks and get with the group again.

 

~~~

 

Henson

 

I curse out loud from Alex’s call.

 

I make one of her officers move a drone to try and find him.

 

It doesn’t take long.

 

I see him stumbling at the entrance of the pier.

 

Glancing at my holoscreen, I see his earpiece is active.

 

“Zafiro,” I call to him. “You get back on that ship this instant!”

 

He either doesn’t hear me or is simply ignoring me.

 

He tiptoes and hops along the pier, twirling around like some kind of ballerina.

 

I narrow my eyes watching him.

 

What has gotten into him?

 

Are we too late now? The Interviewer said we were on a timer to try and fix him!

 

“Please,” I try again. “Zaf, this isn’t you! Listen to me and go back to the ship!”

 

He reaches the hole Zee had carved into the factory.

 

Zafiro gazes up along the factory before he leaps into the air, grabbing onto the edge of part of the scaffolding.

 

He climbs up along the various poles and pieces of wood barely hanging off the beaten up building.

 

Dammit!

 

It was one thing if he happened to meetup with the group, it’s another if he’s wandering alone in that place!

 

My gut drops when I see him breaking open a vent near the top.

 

He slips in and then he’s out of sight.

 

Mentally I pray he’ll be fine.

 

I also pray my squadron will be able to prevent any more disasters.

 

~~~

 

Zee

 

I grip hard onto my gun as me and the squad stare down one of the tanks glowing yellow.

 

Nobody touched a thing but it suddenly lit up!

 

The only sound I hear is my heart pounding as the tank suddenly opens, flooding the floor with water.

 

I jump when the body falls forward.

 

It’s in some kind of body suit but it’s arms…it’s arms are made of metal and one is shaped into a hook while the other is shaped into a sharp blade.

 

The blade is stabbed into the ground as the monster uses it to stand.

 

My eye widen as I see it is a lot taller than it looked in there!

 

It roars at us in a high pitched screech.

 

It’s voice gurgles slightly as if it were drowning at the same time.

 

More and more of those tanks then light up from it’s voice.

 

I start breathing a lot faster as more and more light up the hallways we just passed.

 

My blood runs cold as more screeches can be heard far behind us.

 

I jump when Charlie yells as he opens fire on the creature.

 

I quickly follow suit.

 

At the same time, I summon more balls of energy and prepare to use them on this army of monsters.

 

More and more tanks open with bodies hitting the floor.

 

I quickly open fire at any creatures coming close to us.

 

Thankfully they aren’t bulletproof.

 

Fuck kind of evil scientist are we dealing with?

 

~~~

 

Zafiro

 

I tilt my head at the weird looking werewolf standing in front of me.

 

It looks like it's patrolling.

 

“We must slay the beast!”

“Fill him with stones!

“Kill it!”

 

I grin and dash for the werewolf!

 

It notices me and growls, swiping its knife hand as a threat.

 

“You’re one ugly mother fucker, huh?” I laugh.

 

The beasty runs for me and leaps for my face.

 

I slide along the floor and swing my metal baton for its nuts! At least I hope it has nuts.

 

It howls in pain and falls on its face as it grabs for its crotch so I guess it worked!

 

Walking over to it, I march on top of its back and extend my baton.

 

Raising it over my head, I bring it down over the beasty’s head, knocking it out!

 

I think?

 

It’s got a new dent so maybe not.

 

Oh dear…poor thing.

 

Hopping off its body, I continue along the hallway.

 

The next living things I find is regular humans.

 

Looks like they were what that beasty was guarding.

 

They are busy rushing this way and that in some room filled with camera screens and rows of computers.

 

I knock twice on the side of the wall with my baton.

 

The group goes silent and they all look at me in confusion.

 

It quickly turns into surprise.

 

“Do you mind showing me to your boss?” I smile at them.

 

~~~

 

Zee

 

I grunt as I’m knocked back into a wall.

 

The air gets knocked out of my lungs but I quickly raise up my gun as one of those creatures swipes its blade for me.

 

Before it can swipe with its hook hand, Gus shoots it in the side of its head.

 

I nod my thanks to him and quickly move to stand beside him.

 

“There’s so many of them,” He shouts over the screeches and mayhem.

 

I open fire at one crawling along the floor, its legs having been torn off.

 

“Yeah there are,” I shout back. “We need to find somewhere to lock them off from us!”

 

Dinoyo shouts in pain as one of those things cuts along the tail sticking out his back.

 

He growls and turns to stab at it with the end.

 

Anjak runs over to help fight off a group with him. He uses his shotgun to blast a few of their faces off before he swipes his sharp claws, digging them into one of the monster’s arms and ripping it off.

 

The ground is a mess of blood, guts and water.

 

The bright side is that their numbers are thinning. The not so bright is that we’re getting tired.

 

Fuck, two missions back to back sucks!

 

My eyes widen when I see one of the creatures sneak behind another and stab its blade into the other’s back.

 

It’s then I realize Wade is missing.

 

He shapeshifted into one of them!

 

I yelp as I’m picked up by Charlie.

 

“Need your help, bud,” He shouts down at me as he carries me over to some door.

 

“This one is locked, hella tight,” He says, knocking on a giant metal door.

 

It looks like those fancy bunker doors that get sealed shut with a giant gear.

 

I frown at it.

 

Why is this here? What if it’s holding a scarier monster?

 

“Watch it,” I hear Wade shout. He has turned back into his normal self.

 

Dinoyo gestures towards him. “How was I supposed to know that was you?”

 

It looks like they finished up the herd.

 

As I’m about to press my hands to the door, a loud rumble shakes the building as that door slowly swings open.

 

I frown as it opens up to a fairly lit room.

 

The metal in here looks beat up and there is dried blood everywhere.

 

The group catches up and Charlie leads the way inside.

 

It is as we all slip that the door closes.

 

I frown and look around first.

 

This is obviously a trap.

 

There are broken tables in here that look like they were cut in half.

 

Chairs are thrown about as if there were people struggling in here but no bodies. The only evidence something bad happened is the dried up blood everywhere.

 

I gag at the smell in here.

 

Clapping suddenly comes up ahead of us.

 

A spotlight turns on and a masked figure stands before us in this room.

 

“Greetings,” The masked man says. “I trust my test subjects treated you well!”

 

They stand in a white jumpsuit. Old blood stains parts of it red.

 

Their mask is like a silver helmet with golden accents along the lips and nose. Their eyes can be seen clearly however.

 

This is the Burn.

 

I’m positive it is.

 

“It appears you found me,” They sigh and slump over dramatically. “I suppose it is time for the main event, yes? That grand scheme where the villain must prove just how bad they can be?”

 

I frown, unsure on if I should open fire or not.

 

I’m also nervous.

 

Why is he acting so weird right now? Why did he let us catch him? This was too easy?

 

“I’m afraid we’ll have to wait for my apprentice,” He chuckles. “It won’t be long! Just a moment!”

 

~~~

 

Zafiro

 

I bend backwards as one of these goons swings a machete for my head.

 

Dodging backwards and out of the way, I giggle as he stumbles over his own two feet to try and catch me.

 

“I’m sure you’ll get the hang of this!” I laugh.

 

He growls in annoyance and throws the weapon.

 

I sidestep it easily.

 

I smirk at him. “Now you made a big mistake.”

 

Leaping over the consoles in this room, I slam my knee into the side of his head.

 

He falls flat onto the ground with a loud thud.

 

My heart flutters as I watch a pink glitter cloud puff up from his thud.

 

Lines slowly begin to make a trail out of the room.

 

They glow bright pinks and neon greens. Blues appears along with yellows.

 

It’s like graffiti is being created and leading me to someplace I don’t know!

 

“Go!”

“Go, go, go!”

“Follow it!”

“Hurry go!”

 

Not needing to be told twice, my legs almost move on their own.

 

I walk along the hallways, my eyes wide in wonder as cute and pretty shapes lead me through this strange factory.

 

They get bigger and bigger as I follow along.

 

The voices do too.

 

They talk over one another, fighting to be the ones to tell me to follow.

 

I run my fingers along the pretty lights and colors as they slowly fill in the hallway more.

 

We go down a flight of stairs and drift along another hallway.

 

Another werewolf guards this one.

 

“Kill!”

“Destroy it!”

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

“Kill it!”

“Kill!”

 

I sprint it and throw my metal baton forward, stabbing it into the ground with enough force that it leans forwards.

 

I use it as a ramp and flip off of it, leaping into the air and landing right on that werewolf’s head, feet first.

 

That slams the beasty’s head into the floor, taking it out instantly.

 

I press the button to bring my baton back to me and I raise it over my head.

 

With a heavy swing, I slam it on top of its head.

 

An explosion of color erupts and I laugh in surprise.

 

It was like a disco ball had exploded!

 

I wipe my brow, apparently I’ve gotten some of the paint onto my face.

 

Continuing my adventure, I am brought to a room with its own console.

 

I tilt my head as I watch the magic colors seem to twirl around the room like some kind of cinnamon roll.

 

At the center it leads me to a button just begging to be pushed.

 

“Do it!”

“Do it!”

“Push-”

“Push the button!”

“C’mon!”

“Push-”

“Push it!”

 

It’s as if I’m in some kind of trance.

 

My body is already moving before I have even decided if I was going to push the button.

 

Oh who am I kidding.

 

Of course I was!”

 

I press my finger to it and instantly the colors disappear.

 

A giant TV screen turns on.

 

I gasp as I see my friends are on it!

 

“Ah, just in time,” I’m guessing the TV host says. “Of course he is. My creations are always…perfect. With that, I give my grand finale!”

 

As soon as he says that, a gunshot goes off.

 

It makes me jump and move in front of the console to look better.

 

The TV host has just offed himself on live TV!

 

Boy is U.U.P.P. gonna hate that!

 

Strange machines emerge from the walls.

 

Giant metal arms holding saws come from the sides.

 

I gasp as I watch one quickly swipe at Dinoyo, cutting his tail clean off!

 

I tilt my head in surprise when I realize blood didn’t spill. Flower petals fly out of Dinoyo’s back as if he has a blowdryer back there.

 

Oh I get it, it’s not actually real!

 

That host didn’t actually kill himself!

 

My gut twists when I see another metal arm slice off Charlie’s arm.

 

More flowers fly out but the thought of seeing that happening to Charlie isn’t exactly comforting.

 

As if the pretty colors heard me, the channel changes!

 

My friends are in suits of shining armor!

 

They stand in a spooky forest with ghosts trying to kill them!

 

My eyes widen and I press my hands to the screen.

 

I must be losing my goddamn mind!

 

Anjak cuts down a knight sitting on a horse but another comes up behind him, slicing him completely in half with a greatsword.

 

Instead of flowers, gold coins pop out of him like popcorn.

 

A ghost with a crossbow flies above them and shoots down towards the group.

 

Gus uses his augment to shoot a fireball at it but it misses!

 

The ghost takes him out with a few shots before aiming for the rest. Charlie tries to cover him but he suffers the same fate.

 

Zee looks towards the camera and runs towards it.

 

“Zaf,” He screams and slams his fists against the screen.

 

I jump and blink in surprise at feeling the vibration.

 

As I blink, the image disappears.

 

Instead I see the carnage of everyone being torn apart by killing machines.

 

“Zaf, you have to turn it off!” He yells against the glass between us.

 

I blink again and the spooky forest is back!

 

My heart sinks as I realize what is happening.

 

I quickly jump over the console to turn it off!

 

I press the button over and over but the carnage isn’t stopping.

 

The ghosts are still killing!

 

“No,” I whisper and look up as I see a ghost shoot the back of Zee’s head.

 

Pretty rose petals explode across the screen.

 

“NO,” I cry out in horror. “NO, NO, NO!”

 

I run over and slam my fists against the screen. “ZEE NO!”

 

I sob as I see the shapeshifter in the background fall over with an arrow in his back.

 

I cry out as the colors disappear, revealing the bloody aftermath.

 

The machines disappear and suddenly a door slides open.

 

The voices whisper to themselves but I can’t hear anything they say.

 

One moment I’m staring behind the glass and in a blink of an eye, I am sitting in that death trap surrounded by the dead bodies of my friends.

 

~~~

 

Henson

 

I swallow the lump in my throat when I hear Zafiro’s screaming has died down.

 

It is dead quiet now that the carnage is over.

 

I hear his sniffs and quiet sobs in his mic.

 

“We need to get him out of there,” Alex says next to me.

 

Her face is ghostly pale.

 

I feel…I feel like I’m going to throw up.

 

“You three, come with me,” She says to someone I don’t see.

 

All I can do is stare at the screen showing that everyone’s lifesigns are gone.

 

I hear Zafiro crying again. His sobs fill up the speakers in my tent.

 

It gets louder and then I realize his sobs are turning into laughter.

 

My blood runs cold at the crazed laughter that seems to echo into my brain.

 

He laughs until he’s out of breath before he takes a big gulp of air to laugh again.

 

It is the sound of a broken man who has lost everything.

 

All I feel is guilt as he laughs into the night.