Just a little flashback for my Embrace the Darkness Saga.
~~~~18 Months Ago.
Santiago Chile: Hacienda De LaVega
Members of the Interpol Tactical Assault Squad, swarmed thought the woods surrounding the Hacienda De LaVega. Two assault teams took positions at two separate points. Alpha team was waiting to raid through the main entrance doors. Bravo team was ready to make entry on the second floor and meet up with Alpha team after sweeping the upper floor clear of danger. Their mission was the apprehension of a known cannibalistic mass murderer, Hector Jimenez.
Members of ITAS were briefed that the sight they may see in this luxurious mansion could be both disgusting and terrifying. Hearing this, each team member gripped their rifle a little tighter in anticipation of their upcoming assault. All members of the ITAS team were hand selected and trained through various military special units from the US, England, Russia and other countries, practically a force of mercenaries. Each member wore black to conceal the darkness that their souls have committed. Black uniforms with black body armor and helmets. Their faces concealed by hoods. Their eyes were the only signs of humanity left.
Bravo team was in position and awaiting final instructions. Alpha team huddled together in the darkness, a young squad leader; Sergeant Simon Thatcher gave the final briefing.
“Alright boys, satellite and seismic images show that this structure goes at least 3 levels underground. Heat sensors have only picked up about 20 heat signatures, so we have them outnumbered. Be careful and watch each others back. Remember this cult is fucked up and know to eat human flesh. It’s our responsibility to put a stop to that. Our primary target is Hector Jimenez. We have been given permission for weapons hot if we’re in danger. Flip to your night vision lens and take positions. We go on my signal.”
With the teams in position, Sergeant Thatcher calmly gave the go ahead command and both teams moved stealthily like ninjas to their appointed entrances. At the front doors, Alpha team huddled along the wall that encircled ran along the front of the mansion. Two team members carrying a battering ram moved into position to the front of the door. On Thatcher’s command, the two members swung the battering ram sending the double doors flying open. Wood splinters and chips flew through the air. A cool burst of air rushed out from the dark interior as Alpha team rushed through the doors with their weapons leveled, red laser sights scanning the room. With their night vision goggles on, the scenery glow an eerie green. Members of Alpha team searched the room. Weapons trained in the direction they looked.
A large stair case was centrally located in the room leading up to the second floor where Bravo team was to be making their entrance. Alpha team members searched through the side rooms for signs of life; no one was present. Suddenly machine gun bursts could be heard coming from the second floor. Bravo team had encountered resistance. Between the burst of gunfire, screams of grown men could be heard, eerie and horrific screams; screams of men dying; screams of men pleading for their lives. With a handful of Alpha team members, Sergeant Thatcher led the way up the massive staircase to assist Bravo team.
Looking through the night vision goggles, Sergeant Thatcher could see bursts of gunfire in the room above as he crouched on the top step of the massive staircase. The gunfire stopped. The remainder of Alpha team ascended the staircase and took a position behind the wall at one of the three entrances to the room where Bravo team should be. Peering around the corner and into the room, Sergeant Thatcher looked on in horror. Black armor clad uniformed members of Bravo team could be seen being torn apart; limbs being ripped from their torsos. Decapitated heads littered the floor and around the dead bodies of Bravo team were individual’s huddled over the corpses, clawing at the flesh of the men of Bravo team with their bare hands. Warm blood-rich intestines were pulled from the bellies of men still breathing. The creatures huddled over the men then began chewing the flesh of the dead and dying; chunks of flesh being bitten off of one Bravo team members’ face. Clothing and body armor provided little protection from the probing digits of the zombie’s hands. A berserker like rage consuming each zombie, as they dug for the flesh that it lusted for. Warm flesh was their food, this included eyes, tongues, genitals, anything flesh exposed. Most zombies feasted on Bravo team while they were still alive.
Sergeant Thatcher looked on in horror. This was not a cannibalistic human cult that Intel had reported. This was what nightmares were made of. These creatures had rotting flesh that was grey, their eyes sunken and soulless. The 7.62mm rounds from the guns had only staggered the zombies; causing wounds that no longer flowed blood like a human’s, but a putrid black substance oozed from the bullet holes. For they were no longer humans, they were the reanimated undead.
Several members of Alpha team that looked on vomited in their masks, some choking on their own puke, another member pissed himself. Those that choked on their own vomit ripped their masks off gagging. The gagging noise alerted the zombies of a new food source.
“Mother fuckers!” Screamed Sergeant Thatcher. He rushed into the room, his assault rifle firing. Other Alpha team members followed, their guns blazing at the zombies. The bullets ripped through the rotting flesh of the zombies, staggering them backwards. Suddenly the zombies then begun running toward Alpha team; a hail of bullets ripping into their decomposing bodies causing them to stagger back or fall to the ground only to get back to their feet and continue their feverish dash at Alpha team. Alpha team stood their ground but the zombies just seem to multiply in numbers; lifeless corpses emerging from the dark recesses of the room. The mercenaries were being overwhelmed. A pack of three zombies withstood the barrage of bullets from a soldier and managed to leap onto him. They tackled the man bringing him crashing down to the floor. The man kicked and screamed violently trying to keep the zombies off. It would not work. A zombie bit into the man’s neck. Bright red blood sprayed out onto a zombie’s face. The soldier began choking on his own blood that erupted from his mouth, gurgling sounds coming from his wordless mouth. The zombie continued chewing the man’s neck flesh. His throat and windpipe shredded by the jagged teeth of the zombie. The man now lay motionless as another zombie began clawing at the flesh on this man’s arms, pulling strips of skin and muscles from the bone. This zombie would then stuff the flesh into his mouth and chew the tough meat. The third zombie began feverishly chewing and clawing at the man’s stomach, ripping into the flesh, exposing the intestines, liver and other organs. The zombie practically buried his face into the man’s stomach chewing at anything he could get his teeth into.
Sergeant Thatcher screamed to his men “Retreat!” Alpha team fled the room and made their way back down the stairs. Members that were too scared and had vomited and panicked were quickly overcome by the massive rush of oncoming zombies. They were being eaten alive. Screams echoed throughout the mansion. Some unfortunately enough to look on at a zombie while being feasted on. Of the thirteen members of Alpha team, eight managed to get as far as the lower stairwell.
The surviving members rushed down the stairwell only to realize they were trapped. At the exit to the mansion stood not zombies but something bigger, something worse. Blocking the exit were four, eight feet tall, hairy and massive creatures. Their razor sharp canine teeth glistening from drool. They were the werewolves. Massive beasts with their long arms extending out to their sides blocking any chance of escape. Their black claws readied to rip the men to shreds as they fled. The four beasts howled in unison. Sergeant Thatcher now knew fear. The howl was deafening. Suddenly several of the werewolves leaped at the men. Their movements were so fast that no a single shot could be gotten off by those that were being attacked. Limbs and heads were being thrown around as the werewolves attacked the remaining members of Alpha team. One werewolf bit into a man's face and tore out his face; gooey brains seeped out from the opening. They were now surrounded; werewolves blocking their escape as the zombies closing in at their rear. The werewolves’ attacks killed and the zombies feasted on what the werewolves did not claim. The zombies knew to stay away from the powerful and massive werewolves. In the hierarchy of the Yokai, zombies were the lowest creatures. Bitten by either a vampire or werewolf, some victims did not turn into those that bit them. Those that were not fortunate to turn into a vampire, a werewolf or die from an attack, turned into something more grotesque. They became the undead, they became zombies.
Sergeant Thatcher and two other Alpha team members began firing at the werewolves blocking their escape. The bullets hardly staggered the werewolves. Distracted by the werewolves, an Alpha team member failed to remember the zombies behind him, he was quickly overwhelmed by the undead. His last effort the man pulled his pistol out from its holster, putting the barrel under his chin and squeezed the trigger. Between the howling, the moaning and gnashing of the teeth the gun shot went unheard. Brains just sprayed out onto the carpet of the stairwell, chunks of brain matter that would be picked up and eaten.
Suddenly the howl of the werewolf at the main entrance trailed off into a yelp. The werewolf’s upper torso fell off its own legs; guts and blood spilled onto the floor. The standing legs finally toppled over; with organs and blood spilling out into a pool of dark red crimson. Behind where the werewolf had once stood was a man. Blood dripped from a massive scythe he held. The man was clad in black with a metallic like mask covering his lower face. Shadows hid the man’s eyes, his medium length hair blowing in the wind. Sergeant Thatcher and the last remaining member of Alpha team were watched in awe, for a moment, they were oblivious to the danger that surrounded them. The werewolves all turned there attention at the man standing in the doorway. Thatcher watched as the man rushed into the room with the scythe in an attack position. Werewolves rushed at the man in an attempt to overwhelm the stranger. With the werewolves now distracted, Sergeant Thatcher saw his chance to escape. He rushed to the exit followed by the lone remaining member of Alpha team. Sergeant Thatcher exited the front of the structure and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. The other Alpha team member got only as far as the front door before a massive hairy muscled arm swung at his head decapitating the team member. Thatcher watched as he saw the head fly off into the darkness. The zombies eventually converged on the body and began their feasting. As Thatcher ran away from the mansion, the howls and moans resonated through the night. Tears filled his eyes and the cold air weighed heavily on his lungs. Thatcher raced to the appointed LZ feeling his heart racing so fast that he thought he would die before telling this story.
Inspector Thatcher snapped out of his flashback as Chief Inspector Nakamura returned to the room with his coffee. Chief Inspector Nakamura looked on at Thatcher in bewilderment. Thatcher was dripping with sweat. “Are you okay Inspector?” Nakamura asked. Inspector Thatcher remained quiet, thinking about that night and of the stranger that saved him.
