After a little more banter, the stalkers began to disperse in different directions. My subordinates, gathering in a tight group with a couple of guys from Pale's group, moved aside and excitedly discussed something, and others followed their example. I, quietly chuckling and nodding to Valerian, decided to go to the bar.
Shaking hands with every stalker I met and occasionally exchanging a few words with them, I reached the former bandit eatery. Genatsvale was already busy here, cooking on a gas stove.
"Good morning," I greeted him.
"Ay, hello, dear," he turned around with a wide smile and wiped his hands with a dirty towel. "Will you eat? Come in, it'll be ready soon."
"Thank you," I nodded gratefully and walked to a small table right opposite the bar counter.
And I plunged into gloomy thoughts that I would soon leave Valerian's group. Yes, he and the guys did a lot for me, but every day I feel more and more that being in the group weighs on me. Orders, wars, all this mess… I didn't imagine stalker life like this. I can't hunt or search for artifacts in my free time, just follow orders. Go there, go to them, do that. I'm tired of it.
But I wasn't destined to sit alone for long. Soon, the Georgian placed a large iron bowl full of aromatic pasta with stewed meat in front of me. And judging by the smell, he even managed to find spices in all this mess. As soon as I put the first spoonful of delicious food in my mouth, other stalkers flooded the bar, including Napr. Carefully looking around the entire bar and finding his target, he immediately headed towards me.
"So that's where you are, Executioner," he said, slightly out of breath, and sat down opposite me. "A plate of the same for me, please!"
"Enjoy your meal," Genatsvale immediately put another portion of pasta.
"Thank you," the stalker thanked him and turned to me. "I wanted to talk to you after your award ceremony. The joke, by the way, was great. So, I just blinked, and you were gone."
"And what about?" I asked, gradually spooning food into my mouth.
"As soon as you helped us with one disaster, another immediately appeared," Napr said, looking away slightly. "Several of my people perished, Executioner. We need to figure it out."
"So, why not discuss it with the others?" I said, hinting at the other stalker captains. "We could comb the territory together."
"No-o," he waved his hand. "We've already figured out what's going on. Mutants. As soon as I understood what happened, I immediately sent a small detachment after them. They entered the forest from the north, were afraid to go deep, and, in general, accidentally stumbled upon a body, after which they immediately left. I thought they wouldn't risk attacking a large squad if they didn't touch them, and I felt sorry for sending my people one by one."
"And you don't feel sorry for me, then," I chuckled, watching the digger's cheeks turn red and his eyes widen. "I'm kidding. So, tell me, what kind of people were they, how many, and what connected them?"
"Four dead, diggers like diggers, they were digging around one of the piles," the leader of the flea market recalled. "They were in the same brigade. They disappeared one after another. First one left, then the second, and so on, until no one from the brigade was left."
"And do you have any guesses what kind of mutants they were or how many?"
"No," Napr shook his head. "One thing is clear. It's something foul and it only attacks loners."
"Did you find the bodies? In what condition?"
"Only one, and in a very deplorable condition… Almost completely gnawed. They couldn't identify him," Napr clenched his fists and looked away.
"Let's say… And where did your people go, you said?"
"Into the forest beyond the swamp…"
"And why the hell did they go there?"
But Napr just shrugged. Well, at least some worthwhile task besides killing bandits and finding allies. I'll also see how my ability reacts if I go hunting mutants.
"I'm in."
"Thank you, Executioner," Napr replied after a slight pause and looked at me with great gratitude in his eyes. "And, I won't be afraid to say, you are one of the best hunters among stalkers, if not the best, but be careful, okay?"
"You flatter me," I smiled, putting the empty bowl aside and getting up.
"Leaving already?"
"Why sit here? I'm going now."
"Good hunting."
Of course, I exaggerated a bit with "now." No, I wasn't ready to go like that. So I went to check my equipment. The assault rifle, cleaned yesterday, was in satisfactory condition, as were both pistols and the knife. But the ammunition had been significantly depleted; only three magazines were left out of eight, so I had to ask a couple of people to give me extra cartridges.
When the magazines were fully loaded, and the Sun had almost reached its zenith, I set off, accompanied by a light breeze. I went out through the eastern gates, which we opened almost immediately after the end of the assault, and headed towards the swamps.
I passed a deserted bus stop and crossed from the cracked asphalt to the soft earth, covered with green grass and summer flowers like dandelions and daisies. I inhaled their aroma, closing my eyes for a moment, and walked on. And soon I reached the former camp of Svezhak, where the group of diggers met their unhappy end.
"I hope the earth rests lightly on you, guys," I exhaled, pursing my lips, and turned towards the forest that was already visible.
I didn't dare to go straight through the pit with concrete slabs and the swamp, so I went around, along the edge of the slime. I walked on the softened soil, feeling my boots sinking a little deeper, and thought about how the Zone would react to such treatment of its gift. Would it pay no attention, or would it immediately take it back? Or, on the contrary, would it only turn a blind eye the first time? I don't know, but this only made it more interesting, and the anticipation washed over me in waves, urging me to reach the lair of the unknown mutant faster.
When I finally reached the edge of the forest, I immediately dropped to my knees, trying to find any tracks. Going in blindly would be a mistake, so I spent a good fifteen minutes searching for boot prints of size forty-three and forty-four among the frequent dog paw prints and rare hoof marks in the mud. Judging by the depth of the imprints, the stalkers were not heavily loaded. What brought them here?
A prearranged meeting with someone, or were they just out for a stroll? To the same place, but at different times, one after the other... Although, no, that's understandable. One went missing, the second decided to follow and check what happened. But there are more than two victims, which means not all of them entered the forest from this side. I'll have to check the northern edge, maybe Napr's men missed something. So, either all their paths led to one point, for example, a certain stash, or the mutants completely control the forest. And it's, let's say, tiny. Go anywhere and you'll instantly become prey...
But if there were many mutants, they wouldn't hesitate to attack a large squad. They would simply crush them by numbers, and then devour both their own and others. If you look at the behavior of mutants, it doesn't make any sense. Only blind ones are afraid to attack stalker squads,
while even a novice can easily deal with a pack of dogs. So, we're crossing out the boobies. Same goes for boars, pigs don't have much brains and don't care about the number of opponents. Flesh... hmm, also.
So, there was only one mutant. But what kind? A bloodsucker? Definitely not, they don't eat meat. A controller? He could handle a large squad with ease. I'm not even considering a pseudo-giant, or a chimera. A burer or a poltergeist? Unlikely, they prefer underground complexes and settle somewhere near them, only crawling out in exceptional cases. Although, this can't be ruled out either.
So, it turns out nothing is clear. Most likely, it will be something like mimicry. Something that wasn't in the game. And that made me a little uneasy. Who knows what I'll have to face and how dangerous this crap will be. Well, guessing is pointless anyway. I'll go and try to find out a little more before I go into the lair.
After about five minutes, I reach the northern edge and start examining the tracks again, but almost immediately realize the futility of this endeavor. Everything is trampled flat, so it's practically impossible to understand who went where and when.
Well, I have nothing left but to go straight into the mutant's lair. I pull the assault rifle off my shoulder, grip it comfortably, and slowly enter the oak canopy. Step by step, carefully, I move forward, trying to be as quiet as possible. I listen to every rustle and gust of wind, wondering how close this creature is to me.
Is it behind this bush or hiding behind that birch tree? I didn't harbor any false hopes that the mutant wouldn't know about my approach. Even if it lost sight of me due to its skill, it was still perfectly aware of me. After all, the Zone children's senses are much better developed than those of ordinary people.
I step over another tussock and go around a sprawling rosehip bush on the left, almost brushing a thick tree trunk with my shoulder. I've been wandering through this small forest for about ten minutes, but I haven't met anyone. Is it afraid, or has it already disappeared after the fourth victim? It won't end well if I don't deal with the mutant.
"H-hey," a faint, barely audible voice comes from somewhere to my left, drawing out the vowels plaintively. "Is anyone there? Help... For the Zone's sake... help..."
Having learned from experience with mimicry, I don't rush to help an unknown stalker, freezing for a moment. I even stopped breathing. But the voice didn't stop, sounding weaker and then stronger. And with each syllable, more and more despair could be heard in it. Is it really a person?
I cautiously move towards it, doubling my vigilance, until I emerge into a small, clear glade, only a few meters in diameter. The voice sounds so close that it seems to be coming from right behind my ear. I turn my head towards the thicket of bushes where the voice came from.
"Stalker?.." as if noticing me, the poor fellow timidly addressed me. "Help me up..."
I bite my lip and fire a short burst directly into the bushes, knowing that an ordinary person, especially a wounded one, cannot hear the sound of my steps. You're screwed, mimicry. I raise my head to the treetops, wanting to find a flying creature, but I don't see anyone there. What?
"Smart, stalker-r, very smart," a voice says right behind my ear, and I quickly turn around, but it's empty there too. "And good. Loves the Zone's children... Sleep, stalker-r, and I will guard your peace. Sleep..."
I feel fatigue spreading through my veins, almost dropping the assault rifle from my hands. Only by sheer force of will could I remain standing, instead of collapsing onto the soft grass. The sleepiness only intensifies, and it becomes harder and harder for me to open my eyelids. Unable to resist, I yawn widely and close my eyes for a moment...
Attention!
An attempt at psychic influence on the user's brain has been intercepted!
I snap my eyes open, realizing that I lost consciousness for a moment and almost fell. I see only a blurry shadow rushing at me. I jump aside, but it's too late, and sharp claws rip through my sleeve and skin in several places. If I hadn't leaned back, the mutant would have slit my throat.
I raise the assault rifle, firing a short burst, but I'm still not fast enough for the monster – the bullets only kick up small clouds of dirt. Like a gray shadow, it rushes at me again, this time aiming for my legs. A sweep of a long paw, and my thigh burns with pain, and the creature disappears behind my back. I grip the assault rifle more comfortably and, counting to three to myself, quickly turn around.
A wide-open, fanged, furry maw meets the metal butt of the rifle, and the mutant flies to the ground. I don't give it a chance to recover, jumping towards it and starting to beat the creature with the assault rifle. A faint, metallic smell, similar to what I smelled in the hangar, fills the glade, and each of my blows is met with a wet crunch. I only stopped when there was no living spot left on its face. Then I fired a kill shot and stepped back a couple of paces from the dead mutant.
From the remains of its head, it was clear that this thing once belonged to the feline family. Whether it was an ordinary house cat or a lynx, who knows. A long and large, elongated body. Forget Maine Coons, this creature was a couple of times bigger. Gray and partly mangy fur, a bald tail. And huge claws on each of its paws. A disgusting beast.
I kneel down to take off my backpack and start treating my scratches. Hey, System, have there been any changes in the status window?
No, user.
Um, and how did the Zone react to killing the mutant?
No reaction, user.
Let's assume... Okay, I'll think about it later, but now I need to return to base. But first, I need to find out what exactly the stalkers came here for. And, as I suspected, the tracks of one of the deceased led me to a thick stump overgrown with moss and toadstools. Bending down, I saw a small hollow in it, where a packet of money, wrapped in cellophane and folded, lay. A little over seven thousand, but a good bonus.
Hangar, some time later.
I enter the hangar territory and, under the curious glances of the stalkers, drag the feline carcass behind me, holding it by the leg. And, after asking one of the onlookers if he had seen the leader of the diggers, and receiving directions, I head straight for him. The stalker, along with a few other vagrants, was sitting at a table in the bar. Seeing me with the mutant, he stood up, examining my prize from a distance.
"Here, Napr, take the job," I drag the mutant's corpse closer to the digger, and he kneels down curiously, starting to examine it.
"Who is this? Looks like a cat," he mutters to himself and looks up at me. "Are you sure this is what killed my men? No, I believe you, but it's just... It doesn't look too dangerous. Or were there several of them?"
"No, just one. This creature almost put me to sleep," I purse my lips. "If I had given in, I would have died there in the forest."
"What's all the fuss about?" Valerian's voice is heard from behind me, and after a couple of seconds, the stalker catches up with me.
"Well, Executioner brought it," Napr kicks the dead monster with the toe of his boot. "Says this cat killed my men."
"If they were walking alone, then yes, it could have," Valerian chuckles, stroking his mustache, and kneels down, running his hand over the fur of the killed creature. "Look how big it is..."
"Do you know what kind of mutant this is?" Napr asks, slightly taken aback.
"Well, yes," the leader of the free ones shrugs. "It's a cat-bayun, although... in our case, a cat. Only it doesn't tell fairy tales, but lures stalkers with its voice and then puts them to sleep. It lured you too, huh, Executioner?"
"Yes. I was walking through the forest where his guys went," I nod my chin towards the digger. "And there, from the bushes, a voice, so pitiful, asking for help. I got closer, but didn't go into the thicket. This creature immediately understood, didn't hide, and started talking nonsense, saying, 'sleep, stalker, I'll guard your sleep.' Ugh! I barely managed to stay on my feet."
"And such things exist here?" Napr turns pale, his eyes darting between me and Valerian. "And I, a fool, thought there was nothing worse than snorks."
"There are even worse things here. Alright, goodbye, Napr," my boss chuckles merrily. "Let's go, Executioner, it's time for us to get ready. The Cordon is already waiting for us."