Ben Hammott - Siberia

Silence reigned as the cloud of dust thrown up by the rough landing settled. Groans filtered out from the battered passengers. Boris hooted in protest of the rough treatment.

Colbert glanced around at the faces at odd angles due the craft’s listing position. He was pleased to see that though battered and disorientated, miraculously, all had survived. “If anyone is injured, call it out.”

He received replies of all okay.

Colbert looked at Richard. “What about you? You must have a sore throat at the very least with all that screaming you did on the way down.”

Richard glared at Colbert. “Funny.”

“Everyone out!” ordered Colbert. “There might be leaking fuel which could ignite at any moment.

Spurred on by the thought of being roasted alive, everyone made a controlled but hasty exit.

With no scent of fuel in the air around the craft to indicate the imminent chance of an explosion, the group stared back at the mushroom cloud slowly beginning to drift apart.

After a few moments, Sullivan asked, “What’s the plan now we’ve lost our transport, Commander?”

“We salvage anything that might be of use from the wreckage, place everything inside that might give away that we are SEALs—armaments, weapons, radios, etcetera—and destroy it all with the stowed charges we packed for such an event, including some thermite charges to ensure nothing is recognizable. We then head for the crater where we picked up…”

“Abducted!” reminded Richard.

“…Richard and contact HQ for an EVAC.”

“That’s a bloody long walk,” said Mason, “with your leg and all.”

“We’re SEALs. We eat hardship for breakfast,” replied Colbert, adding a smile.

Richard rolled his eyes at the macho bullshit. “What about me? I’ve not had your training.”

Colbert turned to Richard. “We could be traveling across terrain infested with heavily armed Taliban, venomous snakes and starving man-eating tigers, and you’d still survive. I wouldn’t concern yourself with a couple-of-hundred-kilometer trek.”

“Kelly and I will set the charges,” informed Mason.

The two men went to do the tasks.

“I’m going to head to the road and wait for my comrades to arrive,” informed Krisztina.

“How will you explain the crashed helicopter if they spot it, as I’m sure they will when we destroy it?” asked Colbert.

Krisztina shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

“You could tell them you think it was a helicopter delivering supplies and equipment to the dig site at Batagaika crater,” suggested Richard. “When I was brought here, the helicopter transporting me passed close to the guard post along the road, so they do come this way.”

“Good idea,” agreed Colbert. “Say it got caught in the blast and crashed. You noticed it go down and rushed over to see if there were any survivors, but all had perished.”

Krisztina nodded. “I will.” She looked at Boris. “Can you take Boris as I’m sure nothing pleasant is in store for him now his guardian Luka isn’t about to protect him?”

“It’s the least we can do,” said Colbert.

“Thank you. Now, I must go before my comrades arrive.”

“Us, too,” said Colbert, holding out a hand. “Thanks for your help and good luck.”

Krisztina shook his hand. “To you also.” She crossed to Richard who was staring out into the tundra, dreading the long walk ahead. “Thank you, Richard. I doubt I would have survived and the aliens might not have been destroyed without your help.” She held out a hand.

Richard pouted playfully as he took her hand. “No kiss?”

“You already had one, and I don’t want make others jealous.”

“Go ahead,” said Sullivan. “I assure you none of us want a kiss from him.”

Krisztina laughed. After saying her goodbyes to the rest of the team, she headed for the road a kilometer distant.

“All set?” asked Colbert when Mason and Kelly joined them.

Mason nodded. “Charges set for three minutes.”

“Then let’s move!” Colbert ordered.

After distributing what little gear they had salvaged from the wreckage among them, Sullivan checked the GPS reading on the tablet that had survived the crash and pointed out into the tundra. “That way.”

As they set off, Richard touched the object in his pocket he had all but forgotten and looked back at Krisztina heading in the opposite direction. “I’ll be back in minute.” He rushed off to catch up with Krisztina.

“What’s that damn fool doing now?” asked Colbert.

“Probably still after a kiss,” quipped Mason.

Hearing running footsteps, Krisztina turned. Puzzlement crossed her face at seeing Richard heading towards her. “Richard?”

A little breathless from his sprint, Richard took something from his pocket and thrust it into her hands. “A present that might make what happened here a little easier for your superiors to accept.”

Krisztina stared in surprise at the alien pistol. “Where you get it?”

Richard nodded towards the destroyed facility. “I found it back there. I was going to sell it for a huge amount of cash, but I now realize aliens and their technology have brought me nothing but hardship and close encounters with death. I don’t want anything to do with either anymore.”

Krisztina smiled at him. “Thank you, Richard. Now, for this, you deserve kiss.” She planted a kiss on his lips.

“Hurry up, Richard, the helicopter’s about to blow,” warned Sullivan.

“Gotta go, they’ll never survive without me. Goodbye, Sweet Cheeks.” He turned and sprinted away.

Krisztina smiled. “Goodbye, Richard.” She turned away and glanced at the distant speck in the sky growing larger, nearer.

Kelly had also noticed the distant speck. “Russians are coming.”

As soon as Richard had rejoined them they sprinted across the tundra.

The helicopter exploded, sending fragments out into the landscape. At its heart an intense white light melted metal and everything else it came in contact with.

Noticing the Russian helicopter turn towards the black smoke whipped about by the wind, Richard and the SEALs lay down amongst a bunch of the shrub that thrived in the desolate wilderness. From their concealed positions they watched the helicopter swoop towards Krisztina when the pilot spied her waving at them. The helicopter landed near her, and two men climbed out. After conversing with Krisztina for a few moments they gazed towards the dissipating blast cloud over the facility and then over at the burning wreckage before all three boarded the helicopter. It took off and headed for the downed craft, where it hovered with a man leaning out of the open rear door scrutinizing the wreckage. Seeming to be satisfied with the explanation Krisztina had given for its presence, the man closed the door. The Russians turned and headed back the way they had come.

While waiting for the helicopter to fly far enough away to no longer be a danger, Mason spoke, “I’ve just thought of something. We’ve no rations, and it’s a hell of a long walk to the crater. I’m already starving.”

“Don’t be such a pussy, Mason. You could do with losing some of that fat you’ve been collecting lately,” said Sullivan.

Deciding the Russians were now far enough away, Colbert prompted his team to restart their long walk to Batagaika crater.

“Yeah, but,” protested Mason, “after what all we’ve just survived, the aliens, the bomb and all, I’d hate to starve to death.”

As he climbed to his feet, Richard smiled at Boris beside him. He reached down and squeezed his side playfully, feeling the meaty flesh beneath his hairy covering. “Oh, I don’t think starving will be a problem we’ll have to worry about.”