003. The Bunker

A subtle chime echoed before the elevator doors parted. The so-called bunker revealed itself as a vast chamber, housing an array of unexplored weaponry neatly aligned on towering shelves, absent from the scrutiny of the media. At the far end of these racks, a cabinet laden with numerous files marked the boundary, leading to a small room with bulletproof glass walls serving as a compact laboratory. Within, an assortment of cutting-edge medical equipment, surgical tables, and research devices surpassed the world's conventional understanding. A few strides from the laboratory's entrance stood a round table surrounded by six chairs. Sergei and Anna occupied two, hosting two guests across the table.

A seasoned man with thick glasses and thin, graying hair smiled while nodding at Andrei. His cinnamon-toned skin presented a striking contrast to the three individuals nearby. He was Kusuma Wardhani, a former member of Division 96, an EPCU task force hailing from Indonesia but now residing in Russia. In his active days, Kusuma served as a senior analyst, contributing numerous valuable discoveries to the EPCU alongside Division 96.

Beside Kusuma stood a young Russian man adorned in military uniform. Unlike the others, he appeared tense and mesmerized by the scene within the bunker. His handsome face belied a youthful appearance, yet the intensity in his gaze reflected a maturity beyond his age. Andrei recalled the visage of this young man, having exchanged words with him before the commencement of the night patrol. Corporal Dmitry Utkin emerged as the sole survivor from the events of the previous night's confrontation.

"Thank you for coming all the way from Moscow, Kusuma." Andrei shook hands with the elderly man. "I apologize for the sudden nature of everything."

"I'm delighted to be of assistance, Andrei."

They exchanged a shoulder pat before Andrei extended his hand towards Dmitry, who promptly stood at attention, offering a military salute.

"Don't be too formal, Dmitry. This isn't a military setting."

"I want to express my gratitude for your advice that saved my life, Sir!" the young man said, shaking Andrei's hand.

"No need for thanks," replied the leader of OCK, removing his coat and hanging it on the chair's backrest. "My advice didn't save you. You survived because you didn't stick to the doctrines instilled through your training. Now, I'd be very pleased if you're willing to share what you know, Dmitry!"

"If there's paper and pencil, I can sketch the face of the woman who attacked our squad," the young man said.

"No need for paper and pencil, my friend. You just need to reopen your memories through our device," Sergei remarked, handing something resembling a pair of wireless headsets to Dmitry. "But I must tell you, this method can be a bit painful."

"I'm ready," Dmitry asserted. Not a hint of doubt showed in the young man's eyes.

Anna swiftly powered up one of the monitors near the table, while Sergei stood before what looked like a small control panel adorned with numerous levers and buttons. Andrei nodded to Dmitry, signaling him to promptly affix the device resembling wireless headsets to his ears. Without hesitation, Dmitry placed the device on his ears. His forehead creased as Sergei pressed a button. Fine beads of sweat emerged on the young man's brow. The memory upload process was indeed far from comfortable.

The OCK's technology scanned every subconscious memory within Dmitry and uploaded them in the form of engineered moving images on the monitor screen. The process, expected to be lengthy, unfolded swiftly because it turned out the young man possessed a photographic memory—an ability to remember not only visual information but also every element in his surroundings. This capability piqued the interest of both Andrei and Kusuma. Nevertheless, their attention shifted as the monitor screen displayed its revelations.

Dmitry's encounter with the girl replayed vividly, akin to a slowed-down scene on a large monitor. A beautiful girl, moving exceptionally fast in a spider-like crawl, viciously attacked Dmitry's squad. Furrows deepened on Andrei's forehead as he pondered intensely. The man observed how bullets bounced off where they should have pierced the girl's face.

The playback on the monitor then blurred, accompanied by the harsh sound of the young man's body slamming into the wall. Subsequently, everything plunged into darkness. After a brief moment, the screen lit up again, revealing eight medical personnel surrounding it. Sergei promptly pressed a button on the control panel, and Dmitry began to open his eyes, wearing an expression as if awakening from a nightmare. Without uttering a word, the young man immediately gulped down a glass of water handed to him by Andrei.

"I've analyzed all the evidence provided by Sergei earlier," Kusuma said to Andrei, pointing to a tray on the table.

On the tray lay objects that might seem unremarkable to the untrained eye. No one would be curious about a bullet seemingly flattened like a stepped-on soda can, a few strands of hair, and something resembling a small tear of human skin. But for EPCU task forces like OCK and Division 96, those items were crucial clues in their investigation.

"What did you get, Kusuma?" Andrei inquired.

"Not much. I can say that the creature had synthetic skin and hair," Kusuma replied. "But I found something interesting on this bullet."

Andrei, Sergei, and Anna immediately fixed their gaze on the elderly man, brimming with curiosity.

"There are several metals known to be completely bulletproof," Kusuma continued. "On the tip of this bullet, I found traces of an alloy metal that, upon closer inspection, has the same structure as liorum."

"Liorum? Didn't EPCU send a sample of that metal to Moscow?" Anna spoke up.

"The sample hadn't been thoroughly examined yet, Anna," Andrei explained. "Our analysts are few compared to other task forces. You prefer field assignments as well, don't you?"

Anna smiled, revealing her gleaming white teeth. She has the capabilities to be a researcher, yet the woman decided to join Andrei's team as a field agent, a responsibility which she also excelled at. Since the Vasyugan egg incident that resulted in the death of numerous analysts, OCK has been severely lacking in human resources for research and analysis.

It's not that there weren't experts available for recruitment, but every prospective analyst in the EPCU task force had to undergo stringent screening to meet the rigorous requirements and heavy risks. Out of a hundred analyst candidates, usually only ten would pass. And from those ten candidates, often none could complete the final selection process. Every OCK covert unit analyst was required to possess combat skills and physical resilience akin to a combat soldier.

"This liorum is different from what Division 96 found. I don't know how this metal is made, but I'm certain the process involves technology beyond ours. I also discovered that the copper content in this liorum is exceptionally high," Kusuma continued. "From its hair and skin fibers, I found a significant amount of copper contamination as well."

"Karabash!" Andrei suddenly exclaimed decisively.

Upon hearing his voice, Anna and Sergei quickly grabbed their phone. They knew what needed to be done in preparing the security protocol for an area suspected to be the starting point of incursions from another dimension.

"This time, don't contact the FSB," Andrei cautioned as they were about to press the green button icon on their devices. "The new leader hasn't adapted to OCK's methods. What happened last night was a result of his unfamiliarity." The man then turned to Anna. "Any news on the plane?"

"The plane landed at zero-six-hundred in Limoges. However, FN didn't find the target at the airport or in the surrounding area," Anna reported without contacting anyone. She had been monitoring the situation before being instructed by her leader. "FN has appointed Pierre Balzac to lead the pursuit."

"It's good to hear that!" Andrei said with a visible sense of relief on his face. He then turned to Dmitry. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-one, Sir," the young man replied.

"Do you want all memories of this incident erased just like we did to your colleagues and the people of Chelyabinsk, or—"

"I want to remember, Sir!" Dmitry interjected. "If allowed, I want to remember everything. And I swear to keep everything confidential!"

Andrei scrutinized the young man for a brief moment then asked, "Which do you prioritize more, the country or all of humanity?"

Dmitry was taken aback by the unexpected question, but then the young corporal's face conveyed firmness as he replied, "Humanity, Sir!"

"I need additional personnel to guard this city from threats like the one we're currently facing," the middle-aged man stated. "I want you to join my team, Dmitry. But that means you have to pass a series of rigorous tests and trials. Are you ready?"

"Ready, Sir!" the young man declared, standing at attention and saluting militarily.

Andrei smiled upon hearing the Corporal's answer. He then turned to the elderly man, who returned the smile with a nod and a firm gaze. "Sorry to trouble you again, Kusuma."

"I've already told you, I'm thrilled to be of assistance," the old man replied before standing up and patting Dmitry's shoulder.

"Sergei, Anna!" Andrei called. "You two go first to Karabash. The bookstore is closed until this case is solved!"