Give me a sign

– I support.

Quickly leaving their prey in backpacks, the guys briefly examined the rest of the compartments and hurriedly went to the station. Strongly strained the inscriptions “It’s infected here.” Having entered the station building, the guys thought for a while, and after choosing one of the service rooms, they barricaded themselves there, stopping for the night.

Having opened a can of stew and biscuits, the guys examined the map with curiosity. Roman tried to remember the general arrangement, trusting more to a friend who understood the situation better – the game experience affected, which turned out to be most welcome.

– Do you know the places marked with a cross? Roma asked, seeing the marks with a red felt-tip pen.

“Uh-huh,” he picked up the stringy meat from the can with his finger and chewed it. – I think, right here, – Nikita pointed to the blue circles with his finger. – There are some caches. And red, maybe tests or clues. It only annoys me … – he fell silent, chewing on the stew.

– Why did they leave us like that without explaining anything? Romka guessed, and after waiting for an affirmative nod, he added. – They put their lives in danger. It doesn’t really look like a game.

– Maybe I’m wrong, but… apparently the project is just a cover. Remember, we were given painful injections? It doesn’t really look like the game we signed up for. Paranoid, – Nikita chuckled.

– Could you take us out?

– From the Chernobyl exclusion zone? Easy. But I’m afraid we won’t be allowed to leave the area so easily. We also need to find out what kind of chips they implanted in us and try to take them out of action.

– Maybe then we should find ours and try to get out?

– It will be the most reasonable. It is unlikely that anyone else knows the way, and it will be easier for a company to cover each other.

Having finished the stew and washed it all down with water, the guys once again checked the locked door and, having made a kind of bed for themselves, fell asleep, insanely tired from a busy day.

– Chapter 7-

Compassion is with you forever

Denis peered tensely, trying to find the source of the noise. Ira and Masha stood immediately behind the shoulder of a classmate, trembling with fear. Their faces were frozen in the expression that people have when they are waiting for the verdict of a doctor or the verdict of fate. But there was no verdict. To the left of Denis, a slight creaking and a quiet rustle were heard. The classmates turned around. Not noticing anything dangerous, Denis shifted his gaze further and was suddenly dumbfounded: a meter away from them in a deep green ravine filled with water, a huge fat centipede was sitting. In the background, in fact, something crunched – like a stone in a children’s sandbox, only in a multi-ton metal bag. The sound was like giant footsteps. It got louder, then quieter – and from time to time it subsided.

– I’ll shoot! – Denis repeated a little more confidently, feeling how the weapon was being hardened.

– You will miss, – a mocking voice was heard from the darkness, which belonged to Vlad. – Danchik, lower the barrel just in case.

Everyone exhaled. Joyfully racing each other classmates hurried to Vlad. Soon a silhouette became visible in the darkness, and soon the guy himself. Lily walked a little behind, holding a backpack by the strap.

– How are you here? Denis asked, not hiding his joy.

– Woke up in a well. And you? Vlad replied calmly.

– An accident because of one fool, – Irina responded angrily, looking contemptuously at Masha.

– And what’s next? Does anyone have a mobile? – I ignore the excellent student, asked Maria.

– No, everything was taken away. Someone was taking you. Have you checked if they had walkie-talkies or… well, at least something, – Vlad looked at the schoolchildren in turn.

“No,” Denis said guiltily. – Only took the machine gun when they heard footsteps.

– It is necessary to examine, maybe we will find, – suggested Lily, who had been silent until that moment.

– So smart? Here you go, – Masha snapped. – I don’t go there anymore.

Vlad and Lilia looked at each other and seemed to agree on something. Turning to Denis, Vladislav clarified:

– Can you show me the way?

– Yes, let’s go, – the plump man readily responded and led to the skeletons of a minibus, next to which lay two employees of Ouroboros.

Maria and Irina stood for some time, but as soon as the main group moved some distance away, they suddenly felt fear and rushed to catch up with their classmates with all their might. Vlad and Lilia were checking their pockets to the fullest, putting aside all the finds. Stepping aside to a fallen tree, the company settled comfortably.

– Map, – Lily unfolded the found sheet. – The bad news.

– Were they good before? – Ira sarcastically clarified.

– We are in Chernobyl, – ignoring her, the girl continued. – I don’t know where exactly, but… there are some marks.

– Let me see, – Vlad held out his hand and accepted the card, began to study with interest.

– Did you find anything else? – Masha pushed Lily, as if she wanted to vent her anger on her.

“Open your eyes,” she dismissed, continuing to examine the many marks.

Denis quietly sat next to him, holding his stomach, which constantly made rumbling sounds. I really wanted to eat. As soon as the fear receded, uncontrollable hunger returned. I wanted to eat something. Better than fried potatoes. Or dumplings? And chips. With cheese sauce. Nervously swallowing the saliva that had come up, Denis froze in anticipation. He did not like everything that was happening, and the only thing he considered right was to entrust more wise and experienced comrades. And were they his comrades? He looked at Masha. Selfish, arrogant and beautiful. If it wasn’t for the nasty feeling of superiority, she might not be such a bad person after all. Ira… Irochka… Irina… first love. Grandmother always said that the first love is almost never successful, ending almost tragically. As an example, for some reason she always cited the story of Romeo and Juliet – because of the love of young people, six people died. This has been talked about since kindergarten, so, probably, Denis immediately resigned himself to the fact that Ira would never pay attention to someone like him. It was unpleasant for him to admit that he had gathered for the project only in order to prove to an excellent student that he had a chance that he was not useless.

– So, we have two machine guns and four magazines of cartridges, a map and we are in the ass of the world, – Vlad summed up and looked at Denis, clarified. – Can you shoot?

“No,” he blushed.

– I can, – Lilia gave her voice and Denis obediently handed over the weapon to her. Vlad took the second machine gun.

– We got out of this well, if I understood the symbols on the map correctly, – said the athlete, turning to Lilia. “So there must be an abandoned village there. There are signs here, perhaps there is one of ours.

– So what? Are we going to be in the dark? Masha yelled indignantly. – I’m not going anywhere. Let them send a car and pick me up from here.

Vlad turned to Lilia, and she nodded in agreement, supporting the plan of action. After checking the weapon again and jerking the bolt, the couple, as if on command, rose from the log.

– We will try to find ours and if anything, we will return with help. Is someone coming with us? Vlad asked for the last time.

– I stay! Maria defiantly crossed her legs and tilted her head. “I’m not going to knead the dirt with my shoes. Do you even know how much they cost?

– I’m staying too. Walking through the forest at night is suicide, “an excellent student supported her.

– I … – Denis sighed. – I’ll stay.

– What, fatty, decided to play a hero, like you will protect us? – Masha threw venomously.

– Well, so be it. The three of us are not so scary, – the classmate agreed without embarrassment. – You… it… just come back for us.

– Can you leave one machine gun? Lily asked.

“Anyway, none of the three of us knows how to shoot,” Irina remarked reasonably.

Rummaging in his backpack, Vlad took out a flare and handed it to Denis.

“It will help scare away wild animals,” he explained. There are instructions, be sure to read.

“Thank you,” the student smiled.

– Let’s run, otherwise it’s already sick of you, – Masha grimaced.

Lilia winked at Denis, saying hold on, and together with Vlad disappeared into the darkness of the forest. They walked hand in hand, listening and peering into the darkness with all their eyes, in which demonic shadows danced every now and then. Moving a good distance away, the girl quietly asked:

– What kind of village?

– Lelev.

– I’ve never heard of such a thing.

“Me too,” the boy sighed. “Do you think we’ll find anyone there?”

She shrugged her shoulders, afraid to voice her worst thoughts. The fact that everything that was happening was conceived by unknown organizers was no longer even disputed. And it is so clear that if all this happened, then someone needs it. It remains only to decide whether to complete some obscure quests or look for a way home. Home… is a mockery for a person who does not have a home as such. Places where you are welcome, where you are expected. Lily frowned, trying to drive away her sad thoughts. Now is not the time for self-flagellation. Shivering in the cold, the girl shuddered at the sudden warmth from the chip.

Vlad jumped over the log and, exhaling tiredly, stopped. Rummaging in his backpack, he took out a flask and unscrewed the lid, took a small sip and handed it to the girl. Lily took a sip and returned the flask, only now noticing how tired she was.

“We should find Nikitos,” Vlad remarked, continuing the difficult path.

– Why?

– He knows exactly all the locations. This nerd played all the games, for sure, there was something about Chernobyl.

– Do you think he will find “Freedom” or “Monolith”? Lily smiled, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

– Well, suddenly, what the hell is not joking, – the guy chuckled. Did you know that he recently won the tournament?

– Yes? Cool, – she portrayed sincere surprise, not admitting that she knows. She often visited his streams, commenting on everything under a nickname that could not deanon her. She also knew about his personal tragedy, about breaking up with a girl and much more. She always wanted to support Nikita, but at school he never paid attention to her, like many others. It was as if Lily always wore an invisibility cloak.

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