The hall underneath Antechamber's rolling hills filled with groans and grunts as Boris' squad rose from their illusion-induced sleep. They had been out of this world for fifteen minutes, and with a single snap of its long fingers, Illusionist had released them from their trance. After a few minutes of hasty scrambling for weapons and Boris attempting to calm them down, only Sanyok remained hesitant, AVT held high.

"This creature can create illusions, yes? How the hell do I know that it is not making you say this to get our guard down, and turn us into what happened to those Black Slugs?", Sanyok questioned, dead serious look on his face.

"Because I already could have done this. But Boris convinced me otherwise, after he managed to wrestle away my control. I played with him like a cat hunting a mouse, but was not expecting the mouse to bite back. This hole in my chest is from his pistol, he fired at me while still in the illusion. I have never seen such fortitude of mind, but I believe I saw another mutant like me in his memories mention a scar on his hands that explains it. Good that he could resist me, however, for I misunderstood you all. And for that, I am deeply sorry.", the illusionist spoke.

"I believe him, Sanyok. If I understand his powers correctly, he cannot influence us directly, just the way we perceive the world. Would he release you if he wanted to destroy you?", Boris added, and Sanyok lowered his gun.

"Good points. I apologize, sometimes my rationality is clouded by mistrust.", Sanyok said.

"So we found a new super-powered friend. What next, bossman? Oh, and what do we call you, illusionist? Someone with your abilities must be creative enough to call himself something other than "The Illusionist" if there's more than one of you.", Stepukha asked.

"There are few who know my name, but those that do call me Taxidermist. Probably not hard to see why. Boris told me you're hunting a far more insidious threat, care to detail it more? If it lives here, it is my problem as well.", Taxidermist replied, and pointed his long arms at the multiple stuffed animals and mutants around the room.

Boris nodded to Sevka, who was probably the best man to detail what UNISG was, and the Spanish stalker recounted all he and Dimka had experienced. When he got to the part about Khan's betrayal, his voice turned so venomously angry that Taxidermist's otherwise emotionless face bare some hallmarks of empathy. When he finished, marking his and Dimka's desertion from the remaining group of UNISG deserters, the illusionist scoffed.

"I'm old enough to remember the last time international forces entered the Zone. I was still human, and only really saw them as they passed through our village, stopping at the peacekeeper outpost. Most people were not aware of what happened to them, but I was helping the peacekeepers with maintenance and overheard their fate at Station 32. It looks like internationals are bound to destroy themselves whenever they enter the Zone. No offence to you, Sevka, that is. But I do understand now why you are so worried of it. Do you know how strong a force they have?", Taxidermist asked.

"You'll have to tell the tale of that station one day. But no, we do not yet. Hold on, let me contact our men and see if we can find out.", Boris replied and took out his radio.

Not far from the cavern, in a bush, a radio crackled life inside Dima's helmet. Dima listened to his friend talk, then reported the number of enemies in the base. He and Dimka had scouted the peacekeeper outpost for an hour now. Their hiding spot was on the hill overlooking the base, and even though it was as overgrown as every place in the Zone, they could get a good look on the facility. It was a rather chaotic scene to be honest, enough to give an architect a heart attack.

There was a large Khrushchevka-style building at the entrance, with houses similar to those found in Limansk dotting the settlement otherwise. One had collapsed, and the many houses were built as close to each other as the comparative mental characteristics of a bandit and a rat. It looked like a proper maze, frankly. Dimka commented that he had seen an entrance to some underground facility below too, meaning that the place could be a fortress to conquer.

UNISG had fortified it well too. Two MG-3s at the gates, a M134 minigun as an anti-air weapon on the collapsed building's intact floor. It would be a tough nut to crack. Behind the facility was a very large antenna of sorts, which Dima thought to be for communication with UNISG squads further inside the Zone. Although more likely it had been set up by the peacekeepers when they held their base here. Not only that too, there was an UNISG squad on the hill base as well, not far from the main headquarters of this unit. It was almost as tough, with guard towers surrounding it, thick walls capable of blocking gunfire and one way in. As Dima was pondering how exactly they would deal with this issue, his radio opened up once more.

"Alright Dima, we recruited some extra help here. I know you like to be a pain in the ass, but listen to this order and follow it to the strictest letter: Do not engage any non-UNISG forces on the battlefield, not even mutants, unless instrucred otherwise. You'll see what I mean soon enough.", Boris' voice echoed inside his screen helmet.

"Blyat, that is a tall order. But sure thing, if a pseudodog rips me a new asshole, I'll send you the medical bill.", Dima replied.

"Vova doesn't charge for fixing up wounds.", Sanyok's voice commented on the radio.

"And neither are you paid to be a smartass.", Dima responded.

"What do we do then, Boris? Any further orders other than sit around doing nothing useful? This is boring as hell.", Dimka commented in turn.

"Yes. We'll strike the hilltop base while the other UNISG force is distracted. You two mind waiting or do you want to Rambo it?", Boris' voice asked on the radio channel.

Dima looked at his companion, who nodded with a sly grin, reading his thoughts. He turned the radio on and gave a quick reply:

"We'll do it ourselves, you're way too slow anyway."

"When you start hearing gunfire from the main base, that's your signal. We'll join the second we can, but since you're so eager to get shot, go ahead.", Boris responded.

"We'll go when it gets darker. Whether your distraction is ready or not.", Dima said into the radio and turned it off.

Dimka chuckled and his laugh turned a bit more manic as he took out his brand new VSSK. Releasing the bipod, the ex-UNISG operative scoped the towers ahead slowly. There were four of them, surrounded by barbed wire and manned by UNISG snipers. Heavy hardware on them too, M24 Green Dragon snipers, Remington MSR rifles. Truly dangerous enemy. But the two Redeemed had the time of day on their side, with dusk creeping over the valley slowly. Little longer and the darkness would shroud their movements and protect them far better than the armour plates on their suits. Dimka shifted his scope over the facility, but it was impossible to see inside from this elevation.

"I'll take a leak and eat something, then we move. I'd suggest you snipe the guards and I'll cut us a path on the wire. That alright with you, bratan?", Dima asked.

"Yeah. Twenty minutes to dusk, I'd wager. Any idea what help Boris has coming for us?", Dimka replied with a question of his own.

"No clue, but his orders felt pretty weird. Eh, whatever, I've learned to not question his dumb orders.", Dima said, disappearing behind a nearby rock to relieve himself.

Dimka remained on guard, preparing mentally for the mission. It was finally time to give some proper payback to the traitors. He regretted playing mostly a supporting role on the Tuzla tunnel attack, but this time it was just him and Dima. While he had known the Redemption leaders only for a short while, he had come to respect Dima's ability to shift between roles like a champion. Boris was a force of nature, but he was also very set in stone with his combat doctrine and leadership role. Dima on the other hand could shift between being a leader, a footsoldier, lone wolf and bodyguard, and did well in every role without many complaints. Same applied to him in combat, he went from frontline attacker to infiltrator in the time it took to snap one's fingers. If he was to fight overwhelming odds with someone from Redemption, Dimka was glad it was Dima.

Dark, heavy clouds began appearing on the sky as sun set over the horizon. It seemed like rain was on the way, soon, but what mattered most to the two Redeemed was the new darkness spreading over Antechamber. The perfect cover. Dima slid back into the bush next to Dimka and they shared the last plans before the Redemption captain moved to position. Moon had not risen to its spot on the sky yet, so moonlight would not give them away if they acted fast. Moving through the bushy and overgrown meadows of Antechamber, Dima's silent steps closed in on the base. His Val cool in his hands, yet like some caged beasts, the heavy bullets inside it craved to be let loose on Dima's enemies.

First blood would go to Dimka, however. His suppressed sniper coughed once, and in the most remote tower, a crack of a helmet clanging on the floor could be heard. Soon, this dying sound was joined by droplets of blood, streaming down a broken skull smashed on the tower's inside. Before anyone had noticed one of the guards going missing, Dimka claimed his second victim. Large-calibre bullet forced its way through the sniper's scope, entering the man's head through the eye. The first tower from the east was free of its guardian now as well. Its twin located further north was the next to suffer the same fate, as Dimka fixed his scope on the man scanning the valley ahead. He whispered a curse, hoping that the traitor would meet his friends in hell, and pulled the trigger.

Another soft crack. Another dead guard. The last tower was out of his reach, so Dimka packed his sniper into a small stash they had made nearby, switched to his DVL rifle from said stash and began a cautious sprint after Dima. It was now dark enough that spotting someone in the early night would be hard without a flashlight or larger searchlight. Still, UNISG troops most likely had night-vision, so it was better to be cautious. Dimka turned his device on as well, and the ground ahead was washed with blue, electric light. He crouch-walked up the hillside until Dima came to view, cutting through the wires.

"All guard towers are clear.", Dimka whispered.

"I have eyes too, you know. I'm old, not blind. Okay, once we're through, you go left and finish off that last tower, I'll deal with the gate guards.", Dima replied quietly, and Dimka nodded.

Couple minutes later, Dima had made a sizeable hole in the fence and they got past without ripping their suits. That was when gunfire started in the town below, and it was followed by screams of utter fear and orders being shouted in desperation. Dimka savoured the screams without knowing what was their cause, for at least the backstabbers got what was coming for them. The two separated once more, one going left, one following the fence up north. Dimka sneaked past the first watchtower with simply a corpse in it. The guard in the last watchtower was looking towards the town, speaking into his radio. Dimka aimed at him, waited for the man to lower the radio and pulled the trigger. The man jerked to the side as if hit by an invisible hammer, then crashed to the floor. Dimka couldn't help feeling a tinge of satisfaction at that sight.

"Dimka, gate is clear. There's a squad inside, and despite my rusty English, I think they're trying to reach the base on radio. Come here quick.", Dima's voice hurried him on in the radio.

Dimka took off, trying to run as softly as he could towards the gate. As he closed in, Dimka slowed down his pace and listened. Voices inside the base were coming from some type of receiver, which reached even Dimka's ears. He saw Dima wave him closer by the gate, where a small guardpost was located. Dimka reunited with the Redemption captain, and they listened in on the conversation from the radio. A man was speaking into it inside the base, his distinct German accent noticeable.

"Forward base, this is Captain Bauer, what the hell is going on? Who is shooting?

"Sir, the gate guard went mad, shouting about Iraqi spies inside the base. Valera shot Fredriksson, and then Krylov began firing all over the base until we put him down. He was constantly claiming to be firing at UNISG troops that we killed in Jupiter. There must be some mass-hallu-... Wait... No... This can't be...", the guy on the radio reported, screaming the last part.

"Pull yourself together Kislev, what is going on there?", Bauer shouted in the radio in rage.

"The Congolese children... No, I was only following orders, you do not underst-... GET AWAY FROM ME YOU DEV-", Kislev screeched, followed by gunshots and then one last defiant, almost insanely hysterical cackle as the man seemingly turned his gun upon himself.

The radio cut out. Dima took out a grenade and tossed it over the gate, then rushed inside, Dimka in tow as the explosion shook the facility. They fired blind into the smoke, sweeping the area with bullets as moans and wails of pain and the sound of blood flowing into ruptured windpipe carried over the fading explosion and tinnitus. Dima flanked left as the smoke began clearing, reloading his Val. Dimka's DVL ran dry and he took out his Ruger and C96. Two-handed is never as effective as in games and movies, but he had to compensate somehow for the lack of an automatic rifle. Three UNISG soldier still remained alive, presumably Captain Bauer in an exoskeleton and two guys in Mk.II UNISG suits. Dimka's opened fire and the two pistols claimed a kill on one of the less armoured ones. His friend fired back, scraping Dimka's arm and making his follow up shot drill into the ground. Dima's suppressed rifle threw a burst of lead into the man's head, and only Bauer remained.

The exoskeleton man was charging them, firing an M249 machine gun. Dimka rolled to the side, into a small storage space with multiple large wooden boxes. Bauer's shots smacked into said boxes, missing Dimka completely. Dima emptied his magazine into the man, missing some and striking his battleplate. It was not enough to bring the captain down, but he did flinch for a second. Turning his attention to Dima, his machine gun spurted lead into the Redeemed's direction. It mostly missed, but a shot landed in Dima's leg as ran for cover, sending the fighter tumbling down.

Dimka tried to slow the attacking monstrous man in his heavy suit, but the Ruger ran dry and the broomhandle Mauser was not made of stern enough stuff to put a dent into the man's ballistic plates. Bauer made it to Dima, who was struggling to get up, and a fearsome kick from the exoskeleton's steelclad boot sent Dima flying towards the gate. With a crunch that made Dimka's hairs rise up, Dima collapsed down, unconcious. With some type of rage filling him, Dimka threw himself at full force on Bauer, all his guns empty but the boot knife held ready. Bauer had enough time to turn towards him, but as the SAW rose to greet Dimka, the Redeemed thrusted the knife full force into his hand. It sunk deep, spurting out blood and making Bauer scream from pain and fury. His other hand reached for Dimka, who had retracted the blade. Dimka lashed at him again, but despite another terrible wound, Dimka felt the captain's fingers stretch around his throat.

"Torodov? You little shit, you survived? Not for long.", Bauer hissed.

In panic, Dimka slid the knife towards the sky, sawing Bauer's helmet open and his nose in half. Bauer's triumphant squeeze turned into a screech of complete surprise and agony, but he was determined to crush Dimka's wind pipe. Dimka could feel the world turn darker around the corner's of his eyes, Bauer's murderous gaze the last thing he would see. Or so he thought, but in fact, Bauer screamed in pain once more, releasing Dimka who dropped on the ground. Bauer staggered back, blood flowing from a wound in his leg as Dima closed in, gun held high. He was limping, his own leg wound having stained his boot crimson-red. With murderous satisfaction visible behind his cracked screen helmet, Dima kicked Bauer's leg in turn, causing the giant to collapse. The Val rose to finish him off, then froze there.

"What are you waiting for? Kill him!", Dimka heard himself shout, but Dima simply stood there, gripping his gun as if listening to something Dimka could not hear.

"Fucking hell Dima, I'll do it myself.", Dimka growled and closed in on Bauer, who was trying to fight his own exoskeleton going haywire from damage inflicted on it by Dima.

As Dimka's knife was closing in on Bauer's throat, it was like everything around them slowed down. He could see Bauer's broken face change from a pained and fearful expression to complete emotionless deadpan look. Some voice appeared inside his head, giving him a strict order.

"Do not harm the man. Any pain you could inflict on him, I can do far worse, and we will learn more of their intentions this way.", the voice ordered.

"What the hell?", Dima said out loud, and then caught something move closer at the corner of his eye.

"That is an apt description of what I will do to him. Bauer's personal hell. Step aside, Pathfinder, it is time for this deserter to pay his dues.", the figure said.

Dimka hesitated, but having heard the radio, he figured that this had to be the "recruited help" Boris had mentioned. He slowly pulled his hand back and cleaned the knife. Dima holstered his rifle as the gigantic, thin mutant raised its hand and Bauer's eyes rolled back until only the white parts of them showed up.

"Jesus, that's freaky.", Dimka commented, still taken aback by the whole situation.

"Believe me, Pathfinder, there are things far more frightening inside this man's head. I am Taxidermist by the way, an illusionist. Yes, a mutant, but a good one. Now, please, allow me to work in peace you two.", Taxidermist's voice echoed inside their heads, and the two Redeemed stepped back a bit.

"Can we trust that... thing?", Dimka asked of his senior companion.

"It showed me a vision of what had happened with Boris & co. I could feel what it had felt. I trust it, for now. And having seen what it can do, this may be the best thing happening to our search for Khan.", Dima replied, patching up his leg.

"In that case, I trust your judgement. Oh, and thanks for saving my ass there.", Dimka commented.

"Likewise. You know Dimka, I am aware you and Sevka are planning to leave once all this is over. But in any case, I'm glad we have you two on our side. It feels good to have a reliable team and not just me, Boris and Sanyok. Those two are like blood-brothers to me, but...", Dima said.

"I get it. We make a good team.", Dimka replied with a grin.

"Indeed we do. So good that we swept this place before those lazy bastards even made it here!", Dima laughed.

"Oi! Who're you calling a lazy bastard there!", came a voice from down the hill, belonging to Felka and signalling that rest of the squad was finally here.