Solomon Island The Lone Watchmen (A Phoenix Group Adventure)

[Collapsible Myth]

Sitting down at one of the desks, she looked over the other daily missions as the recent meeting with the woman Xi was escorting Burke out of the Sulaco, had already soured her mood. Noting a call for help flashing up on the screen she presses the upload and stands up. Noticing the lack of other on duty agents Kana sighed, her resolved steeled to do what she was hired to do.

Stepping out into the chilled air of Solomon Island, Kana looks around. The tablet in her hand as she listens to the soft pings indicating the direction of the last known location of the call for help The pings turn to a high shrill as she nears an abandoned truck. Looking around Kana can only see the dense fog off shore and fresh corpse lying face down in the dirt. Looking it over she kicks an unseen object as she begins to walk around the area, it goes skittering down the gravel drive for several feet. Picking it up she sees that it is an SD card, one of those that was used in a camera or a number of any devices, brushing it off she puts it into the tablet and watches the recording that started to play.

Making her way down the gravel drive, intrigued in what she saw in the recording. She deals with one of the wet zombies as it shambles over to her. It’s groan a sickening sound in the cool air. The head falls to the moist sand from Kana’s blade, it bounces once before coming to rest near an old rowboat. The glint of something partially buried catching her eye she walks over to investigate. Pulling the bloodied dog tags from the sand she quickly looks around. Thumbing the dried blood from the tags she slides her knife through another zombie that had shambled to close. Deciding to not stick around this corpse infested beach she heads off to the small military encampment down the road.

Walking up the small rise she nodded her head to the lone patrol "Loose anyone recently”? Kana asks as she holds the tags up for him to see. Responding with a tilt of his head "Don't think so, check with the department of uselessness back there."

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Kana took it upon herself to find out the owner of the tags. Using the open laptop nearby she peruses the unlocked files until coming across an interesting entry. Making a note to return to the encampment later she embarks towards the safe house mentioned in the report.

Slogging through the acrid smell of burnt foliage and wondering corpses armed with pickaxes she sees the safe house just over the rise. Having being accustomed to spirits, much less ones that don't belong on this side of the vial she enters the shack. It was an unforeseen surprise as the spectra appeared behind her as she was rifling through an old box. Making haste in dispatching it back to the correct side she returns to reading the crumpled up note. Typical writings of conspiracy theorists, she looked back into the box where there was a key. Thinking to herself in that perhaps she should go and investigate this trailer that was mentioned in the note. Knowing that the only trailer park in the area was at the campground Kana heads back out, removing any trespassing spirits along the way.

Offering Old Joe a small wave she silently sneaks towards the back. Keeping an eye out for any clues and to find this trailer the key goes to. Suddenly she finds herself eye to eye with an Orochi goon. He pushes past her, knocking her down. Not one for getting the drop on her, she quickly gets up and chases after the man.

The foot chase through the trailer park was intense, almost losing sight of him she had just caught up to him before he jumped into a van. Speeding off, Kana's eyes flashed their trademark green as she moved with inhuman speed after the van.

Orochi goons and now helicopters today had started out so nice. They were shooting at her and it took every ounce of her tenacity to keep from becoming another crater in the road. She would have to speak to the Director in asking her to find something that the Orochi can do besides try in kill her. Dodging another rocket she rounded a bend in the road and the sight before her almost threw her off. The van barreled straight towards one of the large Draug with pinchers the size of mini cooper’s. The beast deftly swung and sent the van flying, right into the path of the helicopter. Taking a brief moment to admire the beast's handiwork and for the reprieve of being shot at. She turns to face the beast as it roared in anger and frustration.

Sliding to its left she gathered the chaos magic within her to send the ethereal built chain into its midsection. Impaling the beast she pulled, barely knocking it down as it swung those might pinchers towards her head. Using her speed and small stature against the beast she ran towards the small rock outcropping and pushed off, driving her blade deep into the brain of the beast. As the beast fell she took a moment to compose herself as they fight had caused her to use much of the anima within her.

After a few short moments she looks out over the guardrail to the smoldering wreckage below. Jumping down she cautiously searches for the suspect that had so rudely knocked her down and started this whole mess. He had tried to drag himself out from the van but his injuries were too severe. He laid face down in the sand of the beach, hand outstretch towards what looked like another SD card. Kana bent down to pick it up and put it into the tablet.

After reviewing another video made by this person, Kana is once again intrigued in investigating what he was filming and to glimpse the wolves he had recorded to be in the area. Following the trails of the wolf in which she had found as she had predicted. She walks around the lone house set off from the road. Suddenly she is faced with the very creature from the recording. Dealing with the Draug is one thing; a filth hound is another, knowing that she is the only one on patrol and quite the only one to have seen the report. She charges at the beast. The maw of the hound snaps shut just where her arm had been. The smoke of filth rising form its back as she slices across the hindquarters, sending it into a roar of pain. From dodging it's charges and the pools of filth it exudes Kana deals the final blow as it goes running off into the distance.

Kana shakes her head as yet another thing goes running off and for her to chase it. She follows the new trail of tracks back towards civilization. Stopping as she approaches what seems to be a construction site. In the middle of the cleared area is a large container. Kana keeps her senses up as she slowly approaches the container. Looking into it she notices a figure within. Tapping on the glass lightly only causes the figure to suddenly jump forward, its face a disfigured mess, all humanity gone.

The loud thunk of the work lights coming on illuminating the area under an intense glow. Orochi soldiers pop up from various places of cover. It was a trap. A world of hurt was about to open up on her. Filth hounds rose up just as the Orochi fired their rockets. Using everything she knows to dodge and cut down the attackers. She was thankful for wearing the ballistic armor tonight as shrapnel filled the air along with the odd body part from some unlucky Orochi agent. Spinning past a filth hound she drove her blade through its chest. The air was on fire with the flames licking her boots. The Orochi were being cut down left and right as the filth hound numbers along with Kana herself proved to be no match for them. The lone Orochi agent pleaded to the beasts but of course his words had no meaning in their eyes. On one hand Kana felt bad for him but, with all things war he did fire the first shot and out here it was kill or be killed. Turning away as they began their impromptu feast she noticed a large filth hound, taller than the others, it roared to the rest of the pack. Obviously this was the alpha.

Keeping a far enough distance from it, she followed it down to the beach where it disappeared into a cave. Sighing to herself as she entered the cave. The cave walls were slick with years of algae as the floor oozed the black oil of filth. Stepping over several veins that pulsed with the substance she prepared herself for this battle.

Keeping up with the beast was difficult, the large pools of filth kept her movements restrained in dealing with straight melee combat. It had called on several of the pack in its defense as Kana whittled it down. Dealing with the smaller ones went quickly by, their bodies fading from existence in a haze of filth. The alpha hound reared back and let loose a stream of filth. Moving out of the way Kana looked up. She leapt into the air, her feet shooting forward as she pushed off of the ceiling and sent an ethereal chain through the creatures head, killing it immediately. Landing on the small island in the midst of filth Kana stands up. She looks to the spot where the alpha was slowly dissolving into the ground.

 

[Collapsible Myth]

Wiping the filth from her blades she looked around the cave. Sitting up against the cave wall she spotted a dead Orochi agent. Kana goes over to examine the body and quickly discovers his tablet on the ground nearby. Luckily for Kana he had left the password filled in and she went about looking at the information inside. Discovering that the Orochi had an even bigger hand in the events that were unfolding, Kana makes a beeline straight for their compound to find out more.

Sneaking into the compound proved to be easier than imagined with most of the staff dead or shambling around the perimeter. Kana made her way over the fence and hide in one of the field trucks that was open. Noticing a video camera situated on the console, she turned it on and watched the video. It was the same man, Taylor Freeborn, explaining about one of the draug species, as she watched the video, the laptop next to her beeped. It seemed that the Orochi were experimenting or testing on some blood samples. Setting the camera down she read over their notes. It was time to find the samples and get out of there.

Pressing herself against the cold steel of one of the large shelters that made up the interior of the Orochi compound. Slinking inside, the cold air of the refrigerator units kept the inside down to a bone chilling temperature. Off to one side were several tables that held the bodies of some Druag, a few of them in a state of autopsy. Finding one of the blood samples she exited the tent to find the others.

After spending a longer amount of time then she wanted searching for the other two samples Kana returns to the first tent she was in. Setting the samples into the microscope, the computer attached to it beeped with each sample being recorded. Hearing the voices of an approaching Orochi guards she quickly left to hide once again in the open field truck. Retrieving the results of the tests she entered the information that was ingrained during her Phoenix Group orientation training she uploaded the results to HIVE.

Leaving the compound was a bit trickier as the floating orbs had increased in numbers, making exiting through the front gate slightly harder; moving through past the large vans that were parked outside the gates avoiding the reanimated Orochi lazily walking around.

Looking at the sheet of paper she had written down several coordinates, noting that they were just nearby she quickly made her way over to the small CDC outpost. Forgetting her name, the CDC agent was busy worrying about something on her tablet. Kana listened to her mumbling about for a few minutes, looking down to her feet as she came closer. The open crate of respirators held several of the devices, bending down she picked one up unsure if she would need it or not. A note falls out of the respirator she chose, picking it up Kana read it over. A checklist with one item circled Kana knew that perhaps this was her next course of action.

Traversing the island Kana stops at the stairs of the dock, the boat had seen better days or had suffered greatly from the effects of the fog. Surveying the deck of the boat, the slick tall tale signs of a recent fight as the mix of blood and water pooled. Taking lights steps in avoiding the pools she climbed the ladder to the top deck where she had noticed a map. Looking it over the area near Skull Rock was circled by someone, perhaps this Taylor person once again.

Once again it was a trip across a beach that held its fair share of infected creatures or beasts from the deep. Dealing with several of them along her way Kana grew tired of this, when she found this Taylor person he would be receiving a rant that would last him a life time.

Staring up to the well-earned name of rocks Kana noticed another video camera sitting by itself, pointing off towards the fog. Hoping that there was enough power left in the battery she pressed play. The camera sprang to life as the small video screen played back the last few minutes of the recording. Kana watched as Taylor walked off into the fog, face mask on. The fog seemed to have swallowed him up and he disappeared.

Standing, she pulled the mask over her head. Securing the straps and making sure the seals were tight against her skin. Taking a deep breath she walked out into the water, the same course Taylor had gone.

Noticing at first the fog grew ever thicker the further she went. The twinge of fear trying to weave into her conscious mind as she waved it away with a passing thought. The fog took on a life of its own, swirling around her in wispy tendrils. The soft tones of singing greeted her ears, stopping she turned to look back the way she came. Everything was the same dark bleak grey of fog, her sense of direction spinning in a dizzying manner that for the first time in quite a long time she felt lost. Shaking her head to clear her mind Kana looked over her shoulder, there, in the distance was a light. Feeling of hope swelled up within as she went towards the light. It dimmed the closer she got, when reaching the place she knew it to be a light farther off in the distance glowed brightly in the fog. Her head felt heavy with every step. She felt her breathing becoming staggered as her legs struggled to hold her weight. Kana flailed her hands out as she feel into the dark water.

It felt like waking from a deep coma, her limbs were numb as the pins and needles traveled across her feet and hands. Looking around she found herself on an island of debris adrift in an ocean of blackness. Gingerly leaning over to look over the edge, the loose gravel slide out under foot and she tumbled out into the black.

Splashing into the shallow pool of filth she quickly found her footing, not wanting to spend another second submerged in the substance. Noticing for the first time the house, the red glow it emanated strangely called to her. The voices whispering to her, to come, enjoy the dreaming. She felt her legs move towards the house as he mind screamed for them to stop. Becoming disoriented as she stepped through the front door only to find herself on a sidewalk facing a row of homes. The white fences stretching far to the left and right.

The figures hiding in the shadows burst forth, the tendrils of filth infection quite apparent as Kana recognized who they were. Jumping out of the range of the filth that they seemingly pulled out of the ground she apologized to them as she fired two green arrows into their heads, dropping them instantly.

She felt a familiar pull when she ran, it was strange as she only felt it during her time within the spirit world. Questioning if she was there and this was just a hallucination brought on by the fog, fending off more attacks of infected people she had met on the island. Their cries of filth infused confusion echoing in this place.

Again the unseen voices called to her as the spiritual pull grew stronger, she ran for what felt like hours. The houses are the same and the streets blended together in what she could only guess to be tireless loop. Finding a break in the small hell she had found herself in she pushed through. Staring in absolute awe to the sight of the open schism in the sky, she felt the pull much stronger now, prying her to venture into it. Taking several steps the street shook with a thunderous clap as it feel away into the void.

Again she searched for a way to the schism, running without being tired her footsteps echoing off of the houses. The roar of a very large creature brought her to a halt. Peering around the corner of a building she saw one of the large tentacle beasts blocking the street. Steeling her nerve she yelled with a primal scream, running towards the beast blades in hand.

Steel sliced through hardened flesh of the beast, the ground shook as tentacles slammed down to where Kana had stood. Being smaller and very agile in comparison to the creature she hacked away at the beast, causing it pain with each loss of a tentacle. Sending an ethereal chain into the nearby home, having it impale deeply into the structure Kana began to run around the beast. The chain wrapping tightly around it as it’s flesh began to split, she continued tightening the loop, the gurgles of the beast went silent as the chain effectively cut the beast in two.

Falling to her knees, weakened, Kana breathed heavily from the battle and as the spiritual pull literally brought her back to her feet she walked towards the schism. The overwhelming peace washing over her, stepping into the eye she fell once again into the void.

The feeling of motion woke her from the dream; she looked up to the dim sun in its feeble attempt of breaking through the fog. Her clothes and armor were soaked as she floated in the water. The spiritual pull gone as she knew that she was back in the world of the living. The dream or hallucination fresh in her mind, she felt herself come to a stop as the small waves had washed her ashore. Rolling over to her side she removed the respirator, taking in a deep breath of the sea air. Opening her eyes she saw the body, his form quite still as she knew in that he was very much dead. Pulling the respirator from his face the realization of who he was came forward. Kana stared into his grey, glazed eyes, he had washed up onto the beach very much like her only in that he wasn’t a bee. Finding Taylor here gave her a sense of accomplishment in figuring out certain things of Solomon Island. Noticing the small recorder in his fist she pressed play and listened to his final message to the world, to whoever would hear him as he tried in vain of revealing to the world what was truly happening here.

Standing on trembling legs she looked off into the distance, getting her bearings back she began her long trek back to civilization and to report in as time seemed to have passed very slowly while she was indisposed.