Into The Unknown (Revised)

Prologue

Log Book Data Entry #1
Sep 7, 2000
11:52 AM
2nd Exclusion Team
Captain Anon

Being the captain of an exclusion team is certainly not an easy task. Managing each member, keeping everyone focused, and working in unison out here takes a toll on you. But that’s just the job. It’s been a year and a half since joining Black Ridge Operations (BRO) after being discharged from the military. For most of that time, I was assigned to the usual duties—training, security, and providing protection to a few high-profile officials. But about five and a half months ago, everything changed. A message from the top informed us of new “exclusion teams” being formed to investigate The Exclusion Zone—the one encircling the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It’s been there since the meltdown, casting a shadow across the land. Barely anyone enters The Zone, and those few who claim to have seen it speak of nothing but bleakness and ruin. Still, that’s just talk. What little intel we have mentions rumors of "anomalies," but they tell us it's nothing but radiation fallout and contamination. Just a dead place. The few remaining locals don’t dare go near it, and no one’s managed to escape from inside. No verified reports exist about anyone who has. After the mission briefing, I was told I’d be given the role of captain, apparently due to my work ethic and leadership skills. Soon after, I met my team. A mismatched group: humans and anthros from all walks of life. A couple of us were ex-military or government, the others from private military companies scattered around the globe. One of them stood out to me from the start—a tall female wolf named Ana, short for Anastasia (Анастасия). She would be my second in command. There was something in her stance, the way she seemed almost too eager, her golden eyes sharp with an intensity that cut through the room. She was quick to introduce herself and take her role in stride, clearly experienced, almost commanding by nature. Then there was Wick, an imposing feline with dark fur and piercing green eyes, a former special ops member known for his keen senses and quiet, almost brooding demeanor. If Ana’s presence was calculated, Wick’s was intense but subdued, watchful. And finally, Victor, a hard-eyed, ex-European military officer who looked like he’d seen his share of hell. The blunt pragmatist of the group, Victor didn’t waste words, and his demeanor was efficient, if not gruff. We were all different, but each of us had a reason for being here, even if no one voiced it outright. It took some time, but we all settled in as a team. Over months of training, we learned each other's strengths, found our rhythm. Ana was efficient, confident—almost unsettlingly calm, even in the drills where others were on edge. Wick and Victor, though polar opposites in style, worked together smoothly when it counted. The occasional clash was inevitable; four strangers don’t come together without friction. Ana and I had our share of disagreements—nothing major, just enough to remind me that I had to stay on my toes around her. As training came to an end, we were finally handed our task: retrieve information about the last team that entered The Zone. No contact, no report. Just vanished. We’re to recover any intel they might have gathered, uncover any information on what they might’ve encountered in there. They didn’t sugarcoat the mission. They didn’t say this was going to be easy. But there was a heaviness in the air at that last briefing, a silence that reminded us of what we’d all signed up for. They know what we might find—or maybe they don’t. All we know is that we’re the next in line.

End of Log

Chapter 1

2 Hours Before Deployment

The smell of cigarettes fills the room.
Everyone on the team has settled into a laid-back stance after the briefing, talking in low voices or simply waiting out the time.
The investigator is packing up the last of the documents, but no one’s really paying attention.
You’re jotting down a few last notes in the journal you brought along when you notice Wick watching you from the corner of his eye. He exhales a trail of smoke and nods at the notebook.
"Hey, Captain, what are you doing with that journal?" he says, the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.
"Starting a log to record our expedition. In case something happens while we’re in The Zone."
Wick chuckles, dry and dismissive. "Seriously? A logbook isn’t gonna help us in the middle of a firefight."
You shrug. "It’s just to document our findings. Nothing special." You close the journal, looking at him. "Besides, the journal’s not going to hurt you."
Across the room, Victor chimes in. "The captain has a point, Wick. Documenting the expedition could help the researchers make sense of what’s going on in there."
Wick raises his hands in mock surrender, stubbing out the cigarette. "Alright, alright."
A few moments pass before he speaks again. "So… what do you guys think of the mission?"
"It’s definitely something different," you reply, glancing around. "Different from the last few assignments, at least."
Dominic leans forward. "Anything beats escorting oil tankers in the middle of the desert."
Ana’s eyes flicker with a strange gleam as she adds, "I heard from some of the higher-ups that the last team saw… things before they lost contact."
Wick lets out a cold chuckle, leaning back. "Guess we’ll see for ourselves."
The conversation dies off when Colonel Roy enters the room, and you all rise to attention, saluting. His presence is steady, almost imposing.
"At ease." He gestures for everyone to relax, though his expression remains serious. "I came to inform you that, due to an unexpected weather shift, your deployment has been moved up."
You sigh. "Ah, shit."
"Ah, shit indeed." Roy’s mouth twitches in a half-smile. "Deployment’s in thirty minutes. Gear is ready in the armory. I suggest you use what time you have left to contact family and friends if you need to. Good luck." He nods, leaving without waiting for a response.
Wick lets out a low whistle. "Clock’s ticking. Let’s go."
The team falls silent as you all make your way to the armory. Everyone takes the time to make last calls—Ana’s hushed voice, Victor’s firm words, Wick’s quiet muttering.
You pull out your phone as well, calling what’s left of your family. Brief words. Some things don’t need to be said.
Once finished, you all head to the airstrip where the transport helicopter awaits. But as you approach, Colonel Roy catches your shoulder, pulling you aside.
"Captain Anon, a quick word." He looks you dead in the eye. "You know the mission can’t fail. There are other teams, but I don’t want to call them in to retrieve your remains. Do you understand?"
You give a tight nod. "Understood, Colonel. We’ll perform to the utmost. This is what we trained for, isn’t it?"
He raises an eyebrow, a mildly unamused look crossing his face before he sighs. "Just don’t let them get the best of you in there."
You return to the team and board the helicopter, the heavy thrum of the blades filling your ears.
A few minutes pass before the pilot is given the green light, and you feel the lift-off. The flight is just shy of an hour, and the time passes quietly—Wick pulls out a deck of cards, Victor gives a tired smile, Ana glances out the window, her expression unreadable.
Soon, you feel the descent as the chopper nears the drop-off point. The pilot calls out, his voice steady through the headset.
"This is as close as I can drop you, Captain, without risking the safety of everyone on board."
You glance out—nothing but an open patch of grass surrounded by dense forest, trees stretching as far as the eye can see. "This will work. Thanks."
As the helicopter hovers low, you slide the side door open and give the nod for everyone to exit. One by one, your team hops down onto the field, weapons at the ready, bags secured.
You give the pilot a final wave before he pulls back up, the chopper lifting out of sight and leaving only the muffled sound of its retreat behind.
"Bravo team to Headquarters. We’ve reached the drop point."
The radio crackles, Colonel Roy’s voice coming through. "Affirmative, Captain. Remember what I told you."
You pull out a small, roughly marked map and compass from a pouch on your plate carrier, eyeing the sparse details. "The edge of The Zone is three miles northeast of here."
You look up, meeting each team member’s gaze, steady and resolute. "Everyone knows what they’re doing?"
Collective nods.
"Good." You tuck the map away, feeling the weight of the moment settle over you. "Because it’s too late to turn back."

Chapter 2

On Track to Tarasy

The journey through the dense woods is slow, overgrown branches snagging on gear and blocking the way.
Each step feels heavier as you push forward, cutting a path through the thick vegetation.
Ana’s tail gets caught several times, picking up twigs and leaves, and by now it’s a mess of tangled debris.
Everything is calm until suddenly, a strange sound pierces the quiet, making everyone freeze.
"Do you hear that?" you ask, glancing around. "Something’s rustling… up high."
Wick nods, eyes narrowing as he looks to the treetops. "Yeah, coming from above us."
As one, the team shifts into a ready-up stance, fingers tight on triggers, hearts pounding in unison.
The rustling grows louder, and a cold sweat prickles down your spine, every instinct on edge. Then, with a flash of feathers, something bursts through the canopy—a large, dark bird, wings wide, moving with unnatural grace.
"Phew… just a bird," you say, lowering your rifle, relieved.
Victor keeps his gaze on it, his frown deepening. "What bird has three legs?"
You blink, realizing he’s right—the bird’s talons are twisted, an extra limb hanging awkwardly from its body. "Probably from… here," you mutter, glancing uneasily at the forest. "Let’s keep moving."
The rest of the trek is quiet, only the faint clicks from your Geiger counters breaking the silence. After a while, you check the readings—still safe, just residual radiation.
"We’re close," you say, "still in the green, but not by much."
Finally, a tall chain-link fence comes into view through the trees, marking the boundary.
Beyond it, a thick mist settles over the forest floor, curling around the trunks and roots like fingers reaching out.
"So this is the edge of it all," Wick says, eyes on the fence. "Kind of underwhelming."
"Yeah, just a fence," you reply. "Not exactly impenetrable."
You signal Victor, and he pulls out a pair of cutters, getting to work on a section of the fence.
Scanning the area, you’re surprised to find no patrols, no military checkpoints—just the silent barrier stretching endlessly in both directions.
"Hole’s ready, Captain," Victor says after a moment, standing back.
"Alright, Ana, how’s the tail situation?"
She brushes the last twig from her fur, nodding as she grips her weapon. "Good to go."
One by one, you slip through the fence, bending it back into place as best you can. Even though the cuts are visible, the path behind you now feels like a line crossed, a point of no return.
"Eyes up," you murmur to the team, "we’re in unknown territory now."
Wick glances back with a faint smirk. "Just keep those mutant birds out of sight, and we’re good."
Despite the tension, you can’t help a small grin, but it fades quickly as the heavy silence settles over you once more.
The forest ahead is dense, each tree stretching like twisted, skeletal arms. The first few steps into the woods are unsettlingly calm, only broken by the occasional caw of a crow overhead.
After a while, a dirt road appears, winding through the trees, and you catch sight of abandoned military trucks, half-hidden by overgrown vines and mist. "Looks like we aren’t alone after all," you murmur, gesturing for the team to spread out and advance cautiously. Everyone takes up positions, rifles raised as you approach the convoy, moving with silent precision.
But as you draw closer, the abandoned state of the trucks becomes clear—the vehicles are rusted, windows shattered, tires sunken into the earth.
You regroup near the trucks, each of you eyeing the decayed metal hulks with unease.
"What kind of military just leaves their gear like this?" Victor mutters. "Think we should report it?"
You nod, reaching for your radio. "Bravo Team to HQ. We’ve found an abandoned convoy, Cold War era. Requesting permission to investigate"
A brief pause, then Colonel Roy’s voice crackles through. "Affirmative, Captain. Permission granted. Anything useful is yours to take."
"Alright," you say, signaling to the team. "Check each truck—if it’s usable, take it."
Inside one of the trucks, you search thoroughly, but all you find are rusted rounds, crumbling rations, and dried blood stains. The items are relics, signs of a long-ago struggle or evacuation, and you feel a prickle of unease at the thought of what happened here.
Then, Ana’s voice comes through the radio. "Captain, I found something. You’ll want to see this."
As you step out of the truck, a faint sound makes you freeze—a quiet rustling in the nearby trees. Instinctively, you raise your rifle, heart pounding.
"Captain, what is it?" Victor asks, his eyes following yours.
You scan the treeline, every nerve on edge. But nothing stirs, and after a long moment, you exhale, lowering your weapon.
"Nothing… thought I saw something"
You make your way over to where Ana is waiting by one of the transport trucks. She hands you a worn map, faded and brittle
"Looks like it’s more detailed than what we’ve got," you say, tracing its lines. "Only problem is it’s in Russian."
"I can translate as we go," Ana offers, her tone steady. "It shows a town up ahead."
Victor and Wick join you as you all consult the map, deciding on a route. After a few more minutes, you pack up and continue along the dirt path.
Eventually, you reach a flooded intersection, water pooling around rusted cars bent out of shape, their doors hanging open like silent screams.
"The town’s just beyond here," Ana says, pointing down the road.
As you walk, a strange, unsettling sensation creeps over you—a sudden drop in pressure, a chill that prickles your skin.
"Uh… Captain?" Wick’s voice is barely a whisper, and you glance over, seeing his ears flattened, his eyes wide.
You follow his gaze, heart skipping a beat as you spot a faint, shimmering sphere hanging in the air, a translucent bubble flickering with faint light.
The water beneath it rises in a concave shape, cars and debris shifting as they’re slowly drawn toward it, bending and warping under an invisible force.
The anomaly pulses, pulling at everything around it with a magnetic hum that rattles your teeth.
All of you stand frozen, paralyzed by the sight of the impossible. Then, in a flash, the sphere collapses, releasing its grip in a burst of energy that sends a shockwave through the air. Instinctively, you turn away, shielding your face as debris scatters.
When the dust settles, the cars have barely moved from their positions, but the trees stand fractured, their branches splintered and strewn across the ground.
"What in the hell did we just see?" you murmur, still catching your breath. Victor looks shaken, his voice low. "Whatever it was… it’s unnatural"
It takes a moment for everyone to collect themselves, the reality of this place sinking in deeper. Ana clears her throat, her voice calm but urgent. "We should keep moving, Captain. Looks like a storm’s coming."
As you lead the way, a thought lingers at the back of your mind, heavy and unshakeable: you’ve only just begun to understand the horrors that lie ahead.