Chapter 148
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Immediately after the spiral staircase, began a small passage with a low ceiling, which constantly forks to the right or to the left.
"We need to keep to the left side." - Frank stated confidently, walking alongside Ryan. Then the man pulled his bag from the shoulder and began to rummage through it. First, he got night vision goggles, which he immediately hurried to fasten on himself. Then strange mittens, the material of which looked like a very thin and flexible chain mail with metal plates on the knuckles.
"Wait a second," - Frank required, stopping and handing his bag to Ryan. The shifter frowned, trying to understand what was this all for.
"What are you up to? Do you really think all this will help you in a fight with a shifter?" - He asked mockingly. - "Do not overestimate yourself. All you have to do is hide in time and wait until I deal with those who will get in our way."
Frank did not respond to this statement and began to pull off his jacket and then his pants.
" What the hell?!" - hissed Ryan, stepping back. - "Are you completely whacko?!"
" No. But I'm not going to stand aside, while you're having all the fun to yourself. I thought everything through." - Frank replied, turning his clothes inside out and putting them on again. The other side of the jacket and pants were made out of thick fur. Even on the legs, there were small pockets into which the man tucked his shoes. So when he finished dressing up, his entire body was completely covered in fur. The final touch was a mask, which he put on his face over night vision goggles.
With every second, Ryan's face was becoming more and more dark, and when Frank finally finished his outfit, the guy could not hold back anymore and burst out laughing, holding his hand over his mouth. It only caused him to snort more.
"You're a crazy psycho! What's this? What are you ... Oh, God ... it's just the new extent of madness." - He croaked clutching his second hand over the wall so as not to fall to the floor.
Frank shrugged serenely, causing a new bout of laughter from Ryan.
"As much as the shifters would have good vision in the dark, they are unlikely to have enough time to examine my entire outfit. We will have more trouble if someone realizes that I'm actually an ordinary human." - He answered looking himself over. - "Besides, I think, I look fabulous!"
"Yes, for the guy handing out leaflets at the entrance to the Russian restaurant." - Ryan chuckled, again looking at his partner in a bear costume. - "God, it seems I sinned too much in my previous life! Why am I stuck in this damn dungeon with an idiot!? Do you seriously think that this will somehow protect you?"
Frank smirked, then pulled huge blades out of his bag and began to attach them to metal patches on the mittens.
"The mask may not protect me, but this most likely will. In extreme cases, I always have my girls." - He said undoing his pants and showing two shotguns and a bunch of hand grenades."
Ryan looked at the man with more respect now, nodded and moved forward. Now the bear's costume did not seem so stupid, especially with claws, which were almost the same length as the guy's arm.
"By the way, I wanted to ask." - after a short silence, Frank said, looking at Ryan with curiosity. - "Are you not bothered by the fact that you'll have to fight with your colleagues, ordinary shifters? After all, many of them are not even aware of all these plots of Lana's Father, and so on. They only fight to protect their kind."
Ryan winced, his face for a second mirrored an icy fury. But he quickly hid this feeling and answered.
"Those whom you saw outside maybe this way. But those who crossed the threshold of this tunnel were well aware that they would have to kill their comrades and still went for it to take place among those in power. These are just obedient dogs ready to carry out any commands of their master. They are the one we need to get rid of in order to defeat Ian. So push your pity deeper in your arse. No one here even blinks before shredding you to pieces. Believe me, I saw that kind of guys in action. They don't give a f*ck about others lives."
Ryan's bitter voice sounded like a grinding of metal in silence. Frank wanted to ask something else, but at that moment his companion waved his hand abruptly, stopping him.
Ryan stuck out a forked tongue and listened, catching any signs of presence around them. It seems someone was already waiting for them at the next turn. Turning to Frank, he tried to explain the situation with gestures.
Three. Two wolves and a tiger. In the right aisle.
Frank nodded silently and moved forward following the instructions of Ryan. Shifter, meanwhile, transformed his hands and began to climb the sheer wall. Frank watched in admiration as the guy crawled up to the ceiling and hovering like this upside down, gave a sign to go forward. Frank complied without hesitation. Having corrected the mask and gloves, the man shrugged his shoulders and confidently walked towards the trap.
Three shifters hid around the next corner, sniffing the air and listening. Finally, one broke the silence and whispered.
"What the fuck is this smell? There are only two of them, but I can't get at all who they are. One stinks of a bear, but oddly and with some sort of chemicals blended in. And the second one is one hell of a cocktail. I don't have the slightest idea of what the devil it could be."
His comrades to the left immediately bared his fangs, signaling that the guy should shut up. Although judging by the face, he also was puzzled their new prays that were heading into their trap. The third one silently peered into the darkness, already prepared for an attack. What does it matter who these opponents were? In this dungeon, only one thing was foremost, cut the throat to anyone who gets in the way and quickly get to the exit. Nothing else matters.
The steps became louder. Although now they clearly heard only one pair of legs. Another second and in the dark it was already possible to recognize a broad-shouldered figure covered with thick fur. The first shifter frowned appreciating the opponent. Alpha form? How is this possible? Among the watchers, even the leader very rarely could achieve such a form. Where did this guy come from?
A loud growl of his comrade didn't let him finish his thought. Tigers never really been patient. The were-tiger didn't even wait for the enemy to approach and jumped at the oncoming enemy, instantly transforming in flight.
Frank jerked away to the side, noticing a shadow darting towards him. At the same time, Ryan pushed off from the ceiling and knocked the attacker, entangling the body of the tiger with his tail. They both fell to the floor and rolled toward the wall. There was a crash of breaking bones and a wild roar coming from them. But Frank didn't have the time to worry about his new reptile buddy.
The remaining two werewolves, rushed at Frank, trying to take the enemy off-guard by a simultaneous attack from two sides. But the former commando was quite accustomed to such tactics. Stepping aside, and then a little back, he sharply slammed the claws on his right mitten in the side of one shifter and pushed him with all his strength towards the second. So the first wolf did not even have time to understand how it happened before his body, abruptly changing the flight path, crashing into his partner. They both hit the wall and fell to the floor.
The wounded werewolf howled and began to flounder, at the same time crushing his comrade with his body. Frank, not letting them time enough to come around, literally fell on them from above. Constantly stabbing his metal claws everywhere. The top wolf received most of it, but the one that was squeezed below also got several wounds.
Only here the Watchers also could not be underestimated. That Werewolf, who was at the bottom, finally twisted and pushed away, throwing off both the unlucky partner and Frank. From the floor he had already risen in the form of a man, but with claws released and a partially transformed muzzle. It was challenging to keep such a form, but apparently, this shifter did not count on a long fight.
Frank managed to roll back and now stood at the wall carefully watching the enemy. The werewolf snarled at him but was in no hurry to attack, apparently trying to assess the enemy. From the fanged jaws came a deaf roar, and then the shifter pushed off toward Frank, waving a clawed paw with the intention of hitting either the face or the neck. He apparently hoped that his opponent would try to get away from the attack, but Frank only smiled broadly and put his hand forward and pressed the hidden mechanism.
A sharp snap sounded, and his metal claws fired like darts from a glove, piercing the neck and face of the shifter. He did not even have time to howl, a pin was already protruding from one of his eyes. The second eye instantly darkened, and the werewolf fell backward.
"Wow! That was not a bad move." - Ryan's voice came from somewhere on the side. The guy had already dealt with his prey, and now was standing at the wall cleaning himself. - "That's why I hate cats. Their fur is just everywhere. Who the hell thought that it'll be funny to domesticate these useless creatures?!"
"Well, better not tell something like this near Maddy. Just lil' friendly advice. You know that she has 3 cats and two dogs at her house, right? And a rabbit, parrot. Oh and don't forget about 5 guinea pigs!" - Frank said in passing, rising from his knees and approaching closer to his first opponent, who now lay without moving against the wall.
"Do you think this one is alive?" He asked, poking the shifter on the ground with his boot. But Ryan did not answer him. Frank turned around and noticed that the guy froze two steps away with his mouth open. His face reflected utter shock, and his eyes bulged like two saucers.
"What's wrong with you?" - Frank asked anxiously. Ryan didn't even move at first, then a shadow passed over his face.
" She lives in a zoo?" - Ryan finally croaked. - " Why the hell does she needs so much?"
Frank grinned and shook his head.
"Yeah ... You'll have to get used to this. And better start thinking of the way to get along with her whole zoo. Maddy loves animals very much. But only with fur, though." - He added in a mocking tone. - "But cheer up, I can give you my costume after we're done here. I bet you think I'm the best, right?"
Ryan gritted his teeth and silently went up to the shifter at Frank's feet, bent down and slammed the claws into that throat, pulling out a piece of the neck.
"Now it is dead." - Ryan growled and walked forward through the tunnel. Frank shook his head, watching the retreating back.
" Don't be so touchy. I just suggested. I can even give you my pompons for a while."
***
They were in the dungeon for two hours. Ryan had long since lost his sense of direction and, although such a situation for his kind should have been natural. After what happened to him in childhood, the closed dark spaces began to alarm him more then he was ready to admit. They caused such an annoying irritation. It was as if something inside was starting to vibrate, driving him completely mad.
His companion was calm and for some time did not even try to start a conversation. Although it was difficult to say under the mask what facial expression this strange friend of Greg had, but he didn't smell like fear or even anxiety at all.
"Don't you think that we walk in circles?" - Finally, Ryan could not resist and asked. Frank shrugged.
"Here, all the passages are the same, so it is quite difficult to determine. But I am quite sure that we are slowly moving forward." - he answered calmly.
"And how can you know that?" - Ryan spat out, exasperated by the other guy composure. - "You're just a human. Or are you one of those psychos who believe in the sixth sense and other bullshit?!"
"Well, firstly you are mistaken. Intuition or the sixth sense exists and saved my skin more than once." - Frank answered calmly, not paying attention to the insult. - "And secondly, I have a beacon and a device that marks our position here. It certainly does not always catch the signal, as we are at a decent depth. But from time to time I get a picture. So no need to be so snappy. I know that you're no scared, but... It is absolutely didn't cross my mind. You are all manly man, but if you need a hug..."
Ryan snarled, not letting him end this phrase.
Frank held down the laughter and started to rummage in his pocket, fishing out a small device with a screen the size of a palm.
"Most recently, we completed the development of underground radar specifically for groundwater exploration for our drilling rig. It turned out just in time. The picture is almost perfect." - Frank said, showing Ryan a screen with strange characters and lines. Only after a couple of seconds it finally came to the guy that this was almost a complete map of the dungeon, and the colored dots on it were him and Frank.
" Why didn't you say anything right away?" - Ryan growled angrily. For a whole hour now his head was full of images of them being lost and that he would die in the dark in the embrace of this weirdo in a bearskin with pom-poms. Nightmare in its purest form!
"You did not ask. I thought you had your methods. You have been sticking your tongue out more often lately. I read somewhere that snakes can hear like that, although it's hard for me to imagine. But I am not a judgmental ass, as someone here..." - Frank answered, a little surprised by such a sudden reaction.
"I'm not a snake!" - Ryan hissed and turning around, stalked away, trying to hide his embarrassment from this annoying guy. In fact, he was sticking his tongue out of his nerves, but Ryan would rather rip off his own tongue completely than admitted that he was suffering from claustrophobia.
"Wait!" - Frank called, catching up with the guy at the next turn. Ryan wanted to ignore him, but at that moment a feeling of the presence of someone else ahead came to him. He stopped abruptly, and at that moment Franky stumbled over him. They almost fell to the floor, but Ryan at the last moment managed to grasp the ledge in the wall holding both of them upward.
Realizing that they were both frozen in a strange position and he was now hugging a huge bear, the guy pushed Frank away in disgust and jumped aside.
" I told you to wait." - Frank complained, barely standing on his feet. - "There is a small hall ahead. Immediately behind him exit to the top. But there are some problems inside."
"Corpses." - Ryan answered quietly in a cold tone, adjusting his clothes.
"Yes," - Frank nodded. - "In the hall, there are six shifters and many corpses. The radar shows at least ten people dead."
Judging by the face, Ryan was not at all surprised by the news.
" It is Brandon Bork, a leader of Night Watchers with his minions. Apparently, they here to choose the remaining part to their gang." - He spat in disgust, looking forward.
Frank frowned, trying to assess the situation.
"Too many of them." - He began, again referring to the sensor readings. - "Can we wait? Maybe some other shifters will come this way?"
"I came here to win and take the place of the leader of the watchers from this son of a bitch." - Snarled Ryan. - "If you are frightened, then you can wait for me here."
The guy silently turned around and confidently walked forward along the passage. Frank sighed heavily and followed.
"Let's see how brave you will be when you see all that zoo in Maddy's house!" - He mockingly said, catching up with the guy. The shifter just hissed back with irritation, not allowing Frank to finish and climbed up the wall.
" Well, let's see if those guys have better fashion sense then you. I bet they will love my costume!" - snickered Franky, charging ahead.
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Immediately after the spiral staircase, began a small passage with a low ceiling, which constantly forks to the right or to the left.
"We need to keep to the left side." - Frank stated confidently, walking alongside Ryan. Then the man pulled his bag from the shoulder and began to rummage through it. First, he got night vision goggles, which he immediately hurried to fasten on himself. Then strange mittens, the material of which looked like a very thin and flexible chain mail with metal plates on the knuckles.
"Wait a second," - Frank required, stopping and handing his bag to Ryan. The shifter frowned, trying to understand what was this all for.
"What are you up to? Do you really think all this will help you in a fight with a shifter?" - He asked mockingly. - "Do not overestimate yourself. All you have to do is hide in time and wait until I deal with those who will get in our way."
Frank did not respond to this statement and began to pull off his jacket and then his pants.
" What the hell?!" - hissed Ryan, stepping back. - "Are you completely whacko?!"
" No. But I'm not going to stand aside, while you're having all the fun to yourself. I thought everything through." - Frank replied, turning his clothes inside out and putting them on again. The other side of the jacket and pants were made out of thick fur. Even on the legs, there were small pockets into which the man tucked his shoes. So when he finished dressing up, his entire body was completely covered in fur. The final touch was a mask, which he put on his face over night vision goggles.
With every second, Ryan's face was becoming more and more dark, and when Frank finally finished his outfit, the guy could not hold back anymore and burst out laughing, holding his hand over his mouth. It only caused him to snort more.
"You're a crazy psycho! What's this? What are you ... Oh, God ... it's just the new extent of madness." - He croaked clutching his second hand over the wall so as not to fall to the floor.
Frank shrugged serenely, causing a new bout of laughter from Ryan.
"As much as the shifters would have good vision in the dark, they are unlikely to have enough time to examine my entire outfit. We will have more trouble if someone realizes that I'm actually an ordinary human." - He answered looking himself over. - "Besides, I think, I look fabulous!"
"Yes, for the guy handing out leaflets at the entrance to the Russian restaurant." - Ryan chuckled, again looking at his partner in a bear costume. - "God, it seems I sinned too much in my previous life! Why am I stuck in this damn dungeon with an idiot!? Do you seriously think that this will somehow protect you?"
Frank smirked, then pulled huge blades out of his bag and began to attach them to metal patches on the mittens.
"The mask may not protect me, but this most likely will. In extreme cases, I always have my girls." - He said undoing his pants and showing two shotguns and a bunch of hand grenades."
Ryan looked at the man with more respect now, nodded and moved forward. Now the bear's costume did not seem so stupid, especially with claws, which were almost the same length as the guy's arm.
"By the way, I wanted to ask." - after a short silence, Frank said, looking at Ryan with curiosity. - "Are you not bothered by the fact that you'll have to fight with your colleagues, ordinary shifters? After all, many of them are not even aware of all these plots of Lana's Father, and so on. They only fight to protect their kind."
Ryan winced, his face for a second mirrored an icy fury. But he quickly hid this feeling and answered.
"Those whom you saw outside maybe this way. But those who crossed the threshold of this tunnel were well aware that they would have to kill their comrades and still went for it to take place among those in power. These are just obedient dogs ready to carry out any commands of their master. They are the one we need to get rid of in order to defeat Ian. So push your pity deeper in your arse. No one here even blinks before shredding you to pieces. Believe me, I saw that kind of guys in action. They don't give a f*ck about others lives."
Ryan's bitter voice sounded like a grinding of metal in silence. Frank wanted to ask something else, but at that moment his companion waved his hand abruptly, stopping him.
Ryan stuck out a forked tongue and listened, catching any signs of presence around them. It seems someone was already waiting for them at the next turn. Turning to Frank, he tried to explain the situation with gestures.
Three. Two wolves and a tiger. In the right aisle.
Frank nodded silently and moved forward following the instructions of Ryan. Shifter, meanwhile, transformed his hands and began to climb the sheer wall. Frank watched in admiration as the guy crawled up to the ceiling and hovering like this upside down, gave a sign to go forward. Frank complied without hesitation. Having corrected the mask and gloves, the man shrugged his shoulders and confidently walked towards the trap.
Three shifters hid around the next corner, sniffing the air and listening. Finally, one broke the silence and whispered.
"What the fuck is this smell? There are only two of them, but I can't get at all who they are. One stinks of a bear, but oddly and with some sort of chemicals blended in. And the second one is one hell of a cocktail. I don't have the slightest idea of what the devil it could be."
His comrades to the left immediately bared his fangs, signaling that the guy should shut up. Although judging by the face, he also was puzzled their new prays that were heading into their trap. The third one silently peered into the darkness, already prepared for an attack. What does it matter who these opponents were? In this dungeon, only one thing was foremost, cut the throat to anyone who gets in the way and quickly get to the exit. Nothing else matters.
The steps became louder. Although now they clearly heard only one pair of legs. Another second and in the dark it was already possible to recognize a broad-shouldered figure covered with thick fur. The first shifter frowned appreciating the opponent. Alpha form? How is this possible? Among the watchers, even the leader very rarely could achieve such a form. Where did this guy come from?
A loud growl of his comrade didn't let him finish his thought. Tigers never really been patient. The were-tiger didn't even wait for the enemy to approach and jumped at the oncoming enemy, instantly transforming in flight.
Frank jerked away to the side, noticing a shadow darting towards him. At the same time, Ryan pushed off from the ceiling and knocked the attacker, entangling the body of the tiger with his tail. They both fell to the floor and rolled toward the wall. There was a crash of breaking bones and a wild roar coming from them. But Frank didn't have the time to worry about his new reptile buddy.
The remaining two werewolves, rushed at Frank, trying to take the enemy off-guard by a simultaneous attack from two sides. But the former commando was quite accustomed to such tactics. Stepping aside, and then a little back, he sharply slammed the claws on his right mitten in the side of one shifter and pushed him with all his strength towards the second. So the first wolf did not even have time to understand how it happened before his body, abruptly changing the flight path, crashing into his partner. They both hit the wall and fell to the floor.
The wounded werewolf howled and began to flounder, at the same time crushing his comrade with his body. Frank, not letting them time enough to come around, literally fell on them from above. Constantly stabbing his metal claws everywhere. The top wolf received most of it, but the one that was squeezed below also got several wounds.
Only here the Watchers also could not be underestimated. That Werewolf, who was at the bottom, finally twisted and pushed away, throwing off both the unlucky partner and Frank. From the floor he had already risen in the form of a man, but with claws released and a partially transformed muzzle. It was challenging to keep such a form, but apparently, this shifter did not count on a long fight.
Frank managed to roll back and now stood at the wall carefully watching the enemy. The werewolf snarled at him but was in no hurry to attack, apparently trying to assess the enemy. From the fanged jaws came a deaf roar, and then the shifter pushed off toward Frank, waving a clawed paw with the intention of hitting either the face or the neck. He apparently hoped that his opponent would try to get away from the attack, but Frank only smiled broadly and put his hand forward and pressed the hidden mechanism.
A sharp snap sounded, and his metal claws fired like darts from a glove, piercing the neck and face of the shifter. He did not even have time to howl, a pin was already protruding from one of his eyes. The second eye instantly darkened, and the werewolf fell backward.
"Wow! That was not a bad move." - Ryan's voice came from somewhere on the side. The guy had already dealt with his prey, and now was standing at the wall cleaning himself. - "That's why I hate cats. Their fur is just everywhere. Who the hell thought that it'll be funny to domesticate these useless creatures?!"
"Well, better not tell something like this near Maddy. Just lil' friendly advice. You know that she has 3 cats and two dogs at her house, right? And a rabbit, parrot. Oh and don't forget about 5 guinea pigs!" - Frank said in passing, rising from his knees and approaching closer to his first opponent, who now lay without moving against the wall.
"Do you think this one is alive?" He asked, poking the shifter on the ground with his boot. But Ryan did not answer him. Frank turned around and noticed that the guy froze two steps away with his mouth open. His face reflected utter shock, and his eyes bulged like two saucers.
"What's wrong with you?" - Frank asked anxiously. Ryan didn't even move at first, then a shadow passed over his face.
" She lives in a zoo?" - Ryan finally croaked. - " Why the hell does she needs so much?"
Frank grinned and shook his head.
"Yeah ... You'll have to get used to this. And better start thinking of the way to get along with her whole zoo. Maddy loves animals very much. But only with fur, though." - He added in a mocking tone. - "But cheer up, I can give you my costume after we're done here. I bet you think I'm the best, right?"
Ryan gritted his teeth and silently went up to the shifter at Frank's feet, bent down and slammed the claws into that throat, pulling out a piece of the neck.
"Now it is dead." - Ryan growled and walked forward through the tunnel. Frank shook his head, watching the retreating back.
" Don't be so touchy. I just suggested. I can even give you my pompons for a while."
***
They were in the dungeon for two hours. Ryan had long since lost his sense of direction and, although such a situation for his kind should have been natural. After what happened to him in childhood, the closed dark spaces began to alarm him more then he was ready to admit. They caused such an annoying irritation. It was as if something inside was starting to vibrate, driving him completely mad.
His companion was calm and for some time did not even try to start a conversation. Although it was difficult to say under the mask what facial expression this strange friend of Greg had, but he didn't smell like fear or even anxiety at all.
"Don't you think that we walk in circles?" - Finally, Ryan could not resist and asked. Frank shrugged.
"Here, all the passages are the same, so it is quite difficult to determine. But I am quite sure that we are slowly moving forward." - he answered calmly.
"And how can you know that?" - Ryan spat out, exasperated by the other guy composure. - "You're just a human. Or are you one of those psychos who believe in the sixth sense and other bullshit?!"
"Well, firstly you are mistaken. Intuition or the sixth sense exists and saved my skin more than once." - Frank answered calmly, not paying attention to the insult. - "And secondly, I have a beacon and a device that marks our position here. It certainly does not always catch the signal, as we are at a decent depth. But from time to time I get a picture. So no need to be so snappy. I know that you're no scared, but... It is absolutely didn't cross my mind. You are all manly man, but if you need a hug..."
Ryan snarled, not letting him end this phrase.
Frank held down the laughter and started to rummage in his pocket, fishing out a small device with a screen the size of a palm.
"Most recently, we completed the development of underground radar specifically for groundwater exploration for our drilling rig. It turned out just in time. The picture is almost perfect." - Frank said, showing Ryan a screen with strange characters and lines. Only after a couple of seconds it finally came to the guy that this was almost a complete map of the dungeon, and the colored dots on it were him and Frank.
" Why didn't you say anything right away?" - Ryan growled angrily. For a whole hour now his head was full of images of them being lost and that he would die in the dark in the embrace of this weirdo in a bearskin with pom-poms. Nightmare in its purest form!
"You did not ask. I thought you had your methods. You have been sticking your tongue out more often lately. I read somewhere that snakes can hear like that, although it's hard for me to imagine. But I am not a judgmental ass, as someone here..." - Frank answered, a little surprised by such a sudden reaction.
"I'm not a snake!" - Ryan hissed and turning around, stalked away, trying to hide his embarrassment from this annoying guy. In fact, he was sticking his tongue out of his nerves, but Ryan would rather rip off his own tongue completely than admitted that he was suffering from claustrophobia.
"Wait!" - Frank called, catching up with the guy at the next turn. Ryan wanted to ignore him, but at that moment a feeling of the presence of someone else ahead came to him. He stopped abruptly, and at that moment Franky stumbled over him. They almost fell to the floor, but Ryan at the last moment managed to grasp the ledge in the wall holding both of them upward.
Realizing that they were both frozen in a strange position and he was now hugging a huge bear, the guy pushed Frank away in disgust and jumped aside.
" I told you to wait." - Frank complained, barely standing on his feet. - "There is a small hall ahead. Immediately behind him exit to the top. But there are some problems inside."
"Corpses." - Ryan answered quietly in a cold tone, adjusting his clothes.
"Yes," - Frank nodded. - "In the hall, there are six shifters and many corpses. The radar shows at least ten people dead."
Judging by the face, Ryan was not at all surprised by the news.
" It is Brandon Bork, a leader of Night Watchers with his minions. Apparently, they here to choose the remaining part to their gang." - He spat in disgust, looking forward.
Frank frowned, trying to assess the situation.
"Too many of them." - He began, again referring to the sensor readings. - "Can we wait? Maybe some other shifters will come this way?"
"I came here to win and take the place of the leader of the watchers from this son of a bitch." - Snarled Ryan. - "If you are frightened, then you can wait for me here."
The guy silently turned around and confidently walked forward along the passage. Frank sighed heavily and followed.
"Let's see how brave you will be when you see all that zoo in Maddy's house!" - He mockingly said, catching up with the guy. The shifter just hissed back with irritation, not allowing Frank to finish and climbed up the wall.
" Well, let's see if those guys have better fashion sense then you. I bet they will love my costume!" - snickered Franky, charging ahead.
Immediately after the spiral staircase, began a small passage with a low ceiling, which constantly forks to the right or to the left. "We need to keep to the left side." - Frank stated confidently, walking alongside Ryan. Then the man pulled his bag from the shoulder and began to rummage through it. First, he got night vision goggles, which he immediately hurried to fasten on himself. Then strange mittens, the material of which looked like a very thin and flexible chain mail with metal plates on the knuckles. "Wait a second," - Frank required, stopping and handing his bag to Ryan. The shifter frowned, trying to understand what was this all for."What are you up to? Do you really think all this will help you in a fight with a shifter?" - He asked mockingly. - "Do not overestimate yourself. All you have to do is hide in time and wait until I deal with those who will get in our way." Frank did not respond to this statement and began to pull off his jacket and then his pants. " What the hell?!" - hissed Ryan, stepping back. - "Are you completely whacko?!"" No. But I'm not going to stand aside, while you're having all the fun to yourself. I thought everything through." - Frank replied, turning his clothes inside out and putting them on again. The other side of the jacket and pants were made out of thick fur. Even on the legs, there were small pockets into which the man tucked his shoes. So when he finished dressing up, his entire body was completely covered in fur. The final touch was a mask, which he put on his face over night vision goggles. With every second, Ryan's face was becoming more and more dark, and when Frank finally finished his outfit, the guy could not hold back anymore and burst out laughing, holding his hand over his mouth. It only caused him to snort more."You're a crazy psycho! What's this? What are you ... Oh, God ... it's just the new extent of madness." - He croaked clutching his second hand over the wall so as not to fall to the floor.Frank shrugged serenely, causing a new bout of laughter from Ryan. "As much as the shifters would have good vision in the dark, they are unlikely to have enough time to examine my entire outfit. We will have more trouble if someone realizes that I'm actually an ordinary human." - He answered looking himself over. - "Besides, I think, I look fabulous!""Yes, for the guy handing out leaflets at the entrance to the Russian restaurant." - Ryan chuckled, again looking at his partner in a bear costume. - "God, it seems I sinned too much in my previous life! Why am I stuck in this damn dungeon with an idiot!? Do you seriously think that this will somehow protect you?"Frank smirked, then pulled huge blades out of his bag and began to attach them to metal patches on the mittens."The mask may not protect me, but this most likely will. In extreme cases, I always have my girls." - He said undoing his pants and showing two shotguns and a bunch of hand grenades." Ryan looked at the man with more respect now, nodded and moved forward. Now the bear's costume did not seem so stupid, especially with claws, which were almost the same length as the guy's arm. "By the way, I wanted to ask." - after a short silence, Frank said, looking at Ryan with curiosity. - "Are you not bothered by the fact that you'll have to fight with your colleagues, ordinary shifters? After all, many of them are not even aware of all these plots of Lana's Father, and so on. They only fight to protect their kind."Ryan winced, his face for a second mirrored an icy fury. But he quickly hid this feeling and answered."Those whom you saw outside maybe this way. But those who crossed the threshold of this tunnel were well aware that they would have to kill their comrades and still went for it to take place among those in power. These are just obedient dogs ready to carry out any commands of their master. They are the one we need to get rid of in order to defeat Ian. So push your pity deeper in your arse. No one here even blinks before shredding you to pieces. Believe me, I saw that kind of guys in action. They don't give a f*ck about others lives."Ryan's bitter voice sounded like a grinding of metal in silence. Frank wanted to ask something else, but at that moment his companion waved his hand abruptly, stopping him. Ryan stuck out a forked tongue and listened, catching any signs of presence around them. It seems someone was already waiting for them at the next turn. Turning to Frank, he tried to explain the situation with gestures. Three. Two wolves and a tiger. In the right aisle. Frank nodded silently and moved forward following the instructions of Ryan. Shifter, meanwhile, transformed his hands and began to climb the sheer wall. Frank watched in admiration as the guy crawled up to the ceiling and hovering like this upside down, gave a sign to go forward. Frank complied without hesitation. Having corrected the mask and gloves, the man shrugged his shoulders and confidently walked towards the trap. Three shifters hid around the next corner, sniffing the air and listening. Finally, one broke the silence and whispered."What the fuck is this smell? There are only two of them, but I can't get at all who they are. One stinks of a bear, but oddly and with some sort of chemicals blended in. And the second one is one hell of a cocktail. I don't have the slightest idea of what the devil it could be."His comrades to the left immediately bared his fangs, signaling that the guy should shut up. Although judging by the face, he also was puzzled their new prays that were heading into their trap. The third one silently peered into the darkness, already prepared for an attack. What does it matter who these opponents were? In this dungeon, only one thing was foremost, cut the throat to anyone who gets in the way and quickly get to the exit. Nothing else matters. The steps became louder. Although now they clearly heard only one pair of legs. Another second and in the dark it was already possible to recognize a broad-shouldered figure covered with thick fur. The first shifter frowned appreciating the opponent. Alpha form? How is this possible? Among the watchers, even the leader very rarely could achieve such a form. Where did this guy come from?A loud growl of his comrade didn't let him finish his thought. Tigers never really been patient. The were-tiger didn't even wait for the enemy to approach and jumped at the oncoming enemy, instantly transforming in flight. Frank jerked away to the side, noticing a shadow darting towards him. At the same time, Ryan pushed off from the ceiling and knocked the attacker, entangling the body of the tiger with his tail. They both fell to the floor and rolled toward the wall. There was a crash of breaking bones and a wild roar coming from them. But Frank didn't have the time to worry about his new reptile buddy. The remaining two werewolves, rushed at Frank, trying to take the enemy off-guard by a simultaneous attack from two sides. But the former commando was quite accustomed to such tactics. Stepping aside, and then a little back, he sharply slammed the claws on his right mitten in the side of one shifter and pushed him with all his strength towards the second. So the first wolf did not even have time to understand how it happened before his body, abruptly changing the flight path, crashing into his partner. They both hit the wall and fell to the floor. The wounded werewolf howled and began to flounder, at the same time crushing his comrade with his body. Frank, not letting them time enough to come around, literally fell on them from above. Constantly stabbing his metal claws everywhere. The top wolf received most of it, but the one that was squeezed below also got several wounds. Only here the Watchers also could not be underestimated. That Werewolf, who was at the bottom, finally twisted and pushed away, throwing off both the unlucky partner and Frank. From the floor he had already risen in the form of a man, but with claws released and a partially transformed muzzle. It was challenging to keep such a form, but apparently, this shifter did not count on a long fight.Frank managed to roll back and now stood at the wall carefully watching the enemy. The werewolf snarled at him but was in no hurry to attack, apparently trying to assess the enemy. From the fanged jaws came a deaf roar, and then the shifter pushed off toward Frank, waving a clawed paw with the intention of hitting either the face or the neck. He apparently hoped that his opponent would try to get away from the attack, but Frank only smiled broadly and put his hand forward and pressed the hidden mechanism. A sharp snap sounded, and his metal claws fired like darts from a glove, piercing the neck and face of the shifter. He did not even have time to howl, a pin was already protruding from one of his eyes. The second eye instantly darkened, and the werewolf fell backward. "Wow! That was not a bad move." - Ryan's voice came from somewhere on the side. The guy had already dealt with his prey, and now was standing at the wall cleaning himself. - "That's why I hate cats. Their fur is just everywhere. Who the hell thought that it'll be funny to domesticate these useless creatures?!" "Well, better not tell something like this near Maddy. Just lil' friendly advice. You know that she has 3 cats and two dogs at her house, right? And a rabbit, parrot. Oh and don't forget about 5 guinea pigs!" - Frank said in passing, rising from his knees and approaching closer to his first opponent, who now lay without moving against the wall. "Do you think this one is alive?" He asked, poking the shifter on the ground with his boot. But Ryan did not answer him. Frank turned around and noticed that the guy froze two steps away with his mouth open. His face reflected utter shock, and his eyes bulged like two saucers. "What's wrong with you?" - Frank asked anxiously. Ryan didn't even move at first, then a shadow passed over his face." She lives in a zoo?" - Ryan finally croaked. - " Why the hell does she needs so much?"Frank grinned and shook his head. "Yeah ... You'll have to get used to this. And better start thinking of the way to get along with her whole zoo. Maddy loves animals very much. But only with fur, though." - He added in a mocking tone. - "But cheer up, I can give you my costume after we're done here. I bet you think I'm the best, right?"Ryan gritted his teeth and silently went up to the shifter at Frank's feet, bent down and slammed the claws into that throat, pulling out a piece of the neck."Now it is dead." - Ryan growled and walked forward through the tunnel. Frank shook his head, watching the retreating back." Don't be so touchy. I just suggested. I can even give you my pompons for a while."***They were in the dungeon for two hours. Ryan had long since lost his sense of direction and, although such a situation for his kind should have been natural. After what happened to him in childhood, the closed dark spaces began to alarm him more then he was ready to admit. They caused such an annoying irritation. It was as if something inside was starting to vibrate, driving him completely mad.His companion was calm and for some time did not even try to start a conversation. Although it was difficult to say under the mask what facial expression this strange friend of Greg had, but he didn't smell like fear or even anxiety at all."Don't you think that we walk in circles?" - Finally, Ryan could not resist and asked. Frank shrugged."Here, all the passages are the same, so it is quite difficult to determine. But I am quite sure that we are slowly moving forward." - he answered calmly."And how can you know that?" - Ryan spat out, exasperated by the other guy composure. - "You're just a human. Or are you one of those psychos who believe in the sixth sense and other bullshit?!""Well, firstly you are mistaken. Intuition or the sixth sense exists and saved my skin more than once." - Frank answered calmly, not paying attention to the insult. - "And secondly, I have a beacon and a device that marks our position here. It certainly does not always catch the signal, as we are at a decent depth. But from time to time I get a picture. So no need to be so snappy. I know that you're no scared, but... It is absolutely didn't cross my mind. You are all manly man, but if you need a hug..."Ryan snarled, not letting him end this phrase.Frank held down the laughter and started to rummage in his pocket, fishing out a small device with a screen the size of a palm. "Most recently, we completed the development of underground radar specifically for groundwater exploration for our drilling rig. It turned out just in time. The picture is almost perfect." - Frank said, showing Ryan a screen with strange characters and lines. Only after a couple of seconds it finally came to the guy that this was almost a complete map of the dungeon, and the colored dots on it were him and Frank. " Why didn't you say anything right away?" - Ryan growled angrily. For a whole hour now his head was full of images of them being lost and that he would die in the dark in the embrace of this weirdo in a bearskin with pom-poms. Nightmare in its purest form!"You did not ask. I thought you had your methods. You have been sticking your tongue out more often lately. I read somewhere that snakes can hear like that, although it's hard for me to imagine. But I am not a judgmental ass, as someone here..." - Frank answered, a little surprised by such a sudden reaction."I'm not a snake!" - Ryan hissed and turning around, stalked away, trying to hide his embarrassment from this annoying guy. In fact, he was sticking his tongue out of his nerves, but Ryan would rather rip off his own tongue completely than admitted that he was suffering from claustrophobia."Wait!" - Frank called, catching up with the guy at the next turn. Ryan wanted to ignore him, but at that moment a feeling of the presence of someone else ahead came to him. He stopped abruptly, and at that moment Franky stumbled over him. They almost fell to the floor, but Ryan at the last moment managed to grasp the ledge in the wall holding both of them upward.Realizing that they were both frozen in a strange position and he was now hugging a huge bear, the guy pushed Frank away in disgust and jumped aside." I told you to wait." - Frank complained, barely standing on his feet. - "There is a small hall ahead. Immediately behind him exit to the top. But there are some problems inside." "Corpses." - Ryan answered quietly in a cold tone, adjusting his clothes."Yes," - Frank nodded. - "In the hall, there are six shifters and many corpses. The radar shows at least ten people dead."Judging by the face, Ryan was not at all surprised by the news." It is Brandon Bork, a leader of Night Watchers with his minions. Apparently, they here to choose the remaining part to their gang." - He spat in disgust, looking forward. Frank frowned, trying to assess the situation. "Too many of them." - He began, again referring to the sensor readings. - "Can we wait? Maybe some other shifters will come this way?""I came here to win and take the place of the leader of the watchers from this son of a bitch." - Snarled Ryan. - "If you are frightened, then you can wait for me here." The guy silently turned around and confidently walked forward along the passage. Frank sighed heavily and followed. "Let's see how brave you will be when you see all that zoo in Maddy's house!" - He mockingly said, catching up with the guy. The shifter just hissed back with irritation, not allowing Frank to finish and climbed up the wall." Well, let's see if those guys have better fashion sense then you. I bet they will love my costume!" - snickered Franky, charging ahead.
