Arctic 9 Ch 3~By Milles S. Fuller

The group sat in silence around the base entrance. Cross eventually stopped weeping, replaced by quiet sighs. No one said anything, until the captain turned, "Jenkins is dead, we need to reevaluate the situation. Laura, how long will it take your team to download the base's data banks?"

Laura responded, "A few hours, all we need access to the central computers and we can start."

"Good, Hiu, go with them, keep them safe, understood."

The corporal nodded, "Yes sir!"

Laura and her team left the front entry, followed by Hiu. She could hear Cross giving orders as they walked, "Hollow, get to the control tower and radio the Judgement, let them know what happened. Festis, your coming with me, we're going to set up a secure perimiter. Any questions?" They left earshot.

The base seemed normal, nothing was out of place, yet, Laura didn't feel right about being inside. The halls seemed to watch their every move. Doors slid open on their own when the group wasn't near. Laura felt wrong inside, and apparently, so did Gohn.

 "Let's get the fucking data and get the fuck out of here..."

This set Hiu off, "Watch the language!"

"Yeah, what ya gonna do about it soldier boy!"

Hiu stopped walking, and in one motion, spun around hitting Gohn in the face with the butt of his rifle. He fell to the ground with a thud, writhing in pain. "Don't freaking test me..." 

Lisa helped Gohn back to his feet. He spat blood and glared at the back of Hiu's head. Hiu just kept walking, "Ms. Becken, how much farther to the central computer?"

Laura was caught off guard, "Huh? Oh, uh, it's ahead on the right..."

Hiu nodded at the doctor and walked on, making a right into a large door. The rest of the group followed. 

The central computer room was small and circular. A large electronic cylinder rose through the center. Everyone shivvered upon entry. Nitrogen flowed off the walls from the cooling system. Laura approached the cylinder and wired in a holopad. A display appeared in front of her displaying different kinds of information. Laura hit a few keys, ad a small bar appeared, displaying progress. Hiu asked, "How long will it take ma'am?"

Laura answered flatly, "About 10 hours, it needs to transfer 39.7 Quadrabites of data. The rest of my team needs to investigate the labs, their all on this level, it shouldn't take long..." 

Hiu nodded, and started out the door, but something stopped him. The room went black, a gust of air hit everyone, and the lights came on again. Everyone was laying on the ground, unconscious. Except for Laura, and she was not alone.

In front of her stood a strange creature. It's fur was jet black, and gleamed in the low light. It appeared to Laura as a fox, wearing a suit the likes of which Laura had never seen before. It turned around, grinning, flames leaking from the side of it's mouth. Laura looked up at it's eyes. The irises were blood red, surrounded by flames that escaped out, rising up it's head. It spoke, deep, slightly airy, yet composed, "Well well well, look what we have here. You and your friends are in my house, why?"

Laura stood, petrified with fear, barely able to speak, "W-we're retrieving research..."

The creature bellowed, the walls bellowing with it, "Ha! You actually think you can come here and leave with my secrets? Well, I should actually be thanking you, for, without my earlier playthings, I'd still be trapped in that coffin." He disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, reappearing in front of Laura, his eyes staring into her's, "Have fun while your here, cause I'll be having fun with you." Its snake like tongue slithered out of it's mouth, sliding up Laura's neck. She started to cry, uncontrollably. 

It took a step back, waved its fingers at Laura, then disappeared again, it's laugh echoing in Laura's mind. She took a step back, then fainted, laying in a heap next to her team.