Chapter 1: The First Step

Within a few months after the battle of D6, the Red army has been defeat and freed lots of their stations for they been absorbed into the Polis allowing them to pull resources and manpower for their continued conflicts with the Nazi stations.

Artyom is within his room in the D6 bunker lying on his bed remembering his previous journey with the baby Dark One giving humanity a chance. "I wonder where he is now," he thought as through his past quest he had bonded with the little one.

He gets off his bed and looks into the mirror to see his treasured AK-74M sitting on the table being used on his many missions and the several scars on his face that he gain from those same missions.

"Artyom, report to the main command center, Miller is waiting for you," a rookie ranger said appearing at the doorway.

Artyom gets on his Ranger combat outfit and slings his AK rifle on his back along with a PMM pistol on his leg hoister to go down the hallway to meet with his commanding officer. "Been 3 months and things have gotten less hectic without the Red Line being a major threat," he thought as he remembers his final battle with the Reds in the battle that save D6 but destroyed a majority of the Red's military to the point of being crippled unable to protect their borders from the Polis and Ranger forces.

Artyom noticed some rangers with one of them giving him a friendly nudge on the arm. "Hey Artyom nice work at the Red Line offensive," one ranger said.

"Those commie bastards didn't know what hit them," the other ranger said.

"Thank guys," Artyom said as they goes towards the armory where he can grab some supplies for his trip.

"Oh hey the big man is here," a rookie Ranger said looking excited to meet with Artyom.

"Oh hello Adam," Artyom greeted the ranger who is about 3 years younger to his 24 years of age.

"You are a legend. I'm so glad to be working beside you," he said.

"Who is going along on this mission?" Artyom asked.

"We are going to aid a Stalker from Polis named Yuri who is quite the badass himself," Adam said.

"Anyone else?" he asked.

"Well there is that cute lady Anna," he said as Artyom jolts his head with his eyes widen at the mention of the name.

"Anna?" he asked having not seen her since she went off to the Red line to protect it months ago.

"Yeah, a woman with brown hair, piercing blue eyes and a nice ass along with a great rack; any man would want to bed that," Adam said as Artyom has a flash of memory where he had tender moment with Anna.

"Artyom please make me feel not alone in this world," Anna's moans echoes in his mind remembering that time of vulnerability between the two.

"Hope she's okay," Artyom said despite thinking before she was an unflinching ice queen but before they had sex he saw sparks of tenderness under her cold yet beautiful shell.

"Well, we should stock up," Adam said as they go to the armory's front to see a wide assortment of pre war and Metro made weapons on display.

Artyom has a sizeable amount of bullets right now to spend as he pays for ammo, fillers and a Saiga-12 shotgun.

"Gee, I can only get a stupid Bastard out of my allowance," Adam said as he puts on the carbine on his back to go into the main command center of D6 to see General Miller bound to a wheelchair along with a tall heavily built man of 6'1 in height with dark tan complexion, black hair and brown eyes clad in combat armor head to toe.

"Well Artyom and Adam, I need you sharp for this one. You will aid Yuri here to go grab some spare supply on the surface in a collapsed police station and bring them to Polis," Miller said.

"You guys will get a health amount of bullets for your troubles. So General where is your precious icy siren?" Yuri teased.

"Any minute now, oh speak of the devil," Miller said as his daughter comes in with her green ranger combat outfit with a SVD on her back and an AS Val folded in her backpack.

"Hello father," Anna goes up to the officer giving him a salute and soon after giving him a big hug. "You still hold up okay?" Anna asked feeling worried.

"I'm fine Anna don't worry about me, just be careful out there," he said as Anna turns around to see Artyom making them both feel very awkward but at the same feel at ease seeing one another again.

"Hey Anna good to see you in excellent health," Artyom said as flashes of memoires appeared in his head on the day he went to fight alongside the Rangers to hear her words.

"Be safe Rabbit and give them hell for everyone," her voice echoed as these words were spoken before he went off to fight the Reds with her placing a hand on the door of the train before he was send off to fight.

"Ditto to you too Artyom; you grew quite the reputation. Can't call you rookie anymore," Anna said being close to him being strangely drawn to him.

"You can still call me rabbit," he teased as she gives a small smirk.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said as Yuri and Adam are behind breaking up their little moment.

"Okay youngsters, we are going to hit the station; ready for this?" Yuri asked as they both nod their heads with Yuri loading up his RPD putting it on his back. "Good, time to bag some stacks. Come on to the trains," Yuri leads on with the young adults behind him.

"So how was guard duty in the Red Line stations?" Artyom asked.

"It was very dull. After you guys kicked all the Reds into the next century. Nothing went down except the often criminal activity," Anna said as they go to the train platform for their train is waiting for them.

The four go into the train for them to head for the far side of Moscow to the police station. Yuri goes up to the front and mans the controls for the train speeds along the tracks. "Alright kiddies, we'll get there within 30 minutes. So kick up your feet and rest easy," Yuri said sitting on the driver's seat.

Artyom, Anna and Adam are in the back. "So you two know each other?" Adam asked the two rangers.

"We were partners in the whole D6 conflict with the Reds. We back each other up pretty well," Anna said.

"Good to know I have two of the best the Rangers have to offer. I'm a bit of a noob compare to the others especially to guys like you," Adam said.

"Don't worry, you follow our lead. You'll do fine," Artyom said.

"Thanks. I'll go keep our brave stalker company up there," Adam goes up the cars leaving the two alone.

An air of tension makes a wall between the two. "Hey Artyom, we haven't had a chance to talk with all the craziness that's been going on for months," Anna said.

"I know and pretty glad I can spend time with you," he said rubbing his hand across her cheek liking her cheekbones.

"Me too but I have to get something off my chest. Remember what we did in the tent when we thought we were going to die," Anna said.

"Yeah I remember we had sex," he said as he saw her brief moment of tenderness and affection which he finds fetching.

"Yes, you know I'm not some whore from the brothel who pushes herself onto any man. I trust you and when you came for me when the traitor got me, I knew I made the right choice," she said.

"I know but I didn't regret the choice either," he said looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh Artyom," she said with her shell breaking down looking softer.

"So what now?" he asked.

"Well, we start over as partners and friends. Then we'll naturally go through from here and see what happens," she said.

"Kind of hard to befriend a woman I still have fresh memoires banging," Artyom said.

"I bet the memoires of my body kept you busy in your spare time," she teased.

"Maybe," he said sheepishly with her chuckling at his tone.

"Trust me; we'll get there again soon. My rabbit," she kisses him on the cheek with Adam coming in the seeing the two being close.

"I see you two are getting frisky in here," Adam joked seeing the two blushes from embarrassment.

"Can it Adam," Anna said.

"I get it, you wanted your privacy. Too bad I'm here to spoil it," Adam said sitting back into his seat as they head for the far end of the Metro.

Their train stops to an abandoned station with the four coming out of the train for it to be called back to D6 bunker. Their weapons are drawn out and their lights are on cutting through the darkness of the station.

"Keep on your toes; I don't want anyone shitting their pants," Yuri said as a big roar echoes through the hallways with Adam being a bit shaken by this.

"I think I piss myself a bit," Adam being scared with Anna groaning at this.

"Did you get experience outside the stations?" Anna asked.

"No Adam only did guard duty and this mission is suppose to prove he can do grunt work outside D6," Artyom said charging his AK-74M for they are at a door.

"We are just nearby the police station. We should be around a hatch leading us to the surface," Yuri opens the door for everyone pours through it with a dark empty corridor in front of them. "That mutant could be close by. Stand on your toes my friends," Yuri said as they go off with them cautiously walking towards the hatch.

"Man, this is seriously giving me the creeps," Adam said.

"Keep your panties on Adam, stay focus," Anna said wielding her AS-Val silenced assault rifle ready to fire on anything down range.

"What kind of monster was that roaring?" Adam questioned.

"Could be a Nosalis, a giant bear or a demon," Yuri said with a frightful voice making the ready to jump out of his skin at the thought of seeing a demon.

"Hey quit it big guy, your freaking me out here. I hear those demons are fucking vicious," Adam said.

"Yeah I should know I fought a few before in my last journeys," Artyom said.

"Gee man, you're a real badass to fight them and alive multiple times," Adam said sounding very impressed.

"Just trying to survive," Artyom said being very humble about it for they see an empty space which is quite spacious.

"So how much air do you have on your fillers," Yuri asked.

"About 20 minutes of air combined," Artyom said.

"Same here," Anna replied.

"Shit, I only have about 5 minutes of air from my crappy wages," Adam said.

"Better hope we find some spares on the surface," Yuri said as a roar echoes outward with everyone being on edge.

The four search the area to seek and destroy the target from chasing them. Adam with his Bastard carbine out goes into the bathroom to see a rusted door with the roars getting louder,

"Guys, this doesn't look good," Adam said as a big bang deafens the air as the door bursts open with a Watchmen charging at Adam. He fires his weapon but all his shots miss with the beast tackling the rookie into a wall pinning him against it.

The monster is trying to bite his head off but Yuri comes into the bathroom tackling it off Adam and shoving his knife into its neck twisting it hearing it snap instantly killing it.

Anna and Artyom come into a room to see Adam frighten by the experience with his heart racing from the near death encounter. "Adam, are you okay?" Artyom asked sounding concerned with the younger man.

"The kid better toughen up because the wasteland would eat you alive if you don't stay cool like me," Yuri pats him on the shoulder. "Come on Adam let's complete the mission and get back to Polis. I'll treat you to my old mom's hot chocolate," Yuri said.

"Some coco would be nice right now to calm my nerves," Adam said as they go for the ladder. Everyone puts their masks on as they ascend the ladder with Yuri, Artyom, Anna and Adam. "Well at least I have a nice view," Adam looks up seeing Anna's ass fill out her cargo pants nicely.

"Better not look at my ass Adam or I'll kick you right in the balls," Anna said with a scolding tone.

"I won't," he lied looking at her butt shake from her movement. "Man, what sweet round buns she has," he thought taking in the sights as much as possible.

They reach the hatch and swing it open to be on the ruined streets of Moscow. "Good old Moscow, looking as crappy as ever. Let's go get the supplies," Yuri said with the others following him.

"Hey Anna, why not wear any armor?" Adam asked with her wearing the scout ranger clothings.

"I'm wearing light armor under my shirt beside I need to be mobile. I'll climb the building to scout the area," Anna said putting up her hoodie as she goes up a ladder.

"Looking lovely Anna," Adam said on the radio.

"I rather have Artyom watch my ass in combat since you don't seem so capable," Anna said as she cuts the radio for she gets on top of the building wielding her SVD. The three go forward with Anna follow them on the rooftops.

"Hold up," Yuri and the others get behind cover to see several bandits. "How many are there Anna?" Yuri said on the radio.

"About 9 of them armed with Bastards and modified Lolifes. Let's make quick work of them," Anna moves her sights on a bandit's head for the bullet cuts through his skull spreading blood and brain matter across the cracked pavement.

"Take cover, you fucking assholes," the bandits go behind debris and ruined cars to engage in a firefight with Artyom's squad. Artyom pops out of cover to get twin headshots with Adam sending lead into the chest of a reckless bandit.

Yuri lit up a grenade and tosses it towards them. "Move away now," a bandit shouted as they all rolled away from the explosion. He catches one out of cover and puts some rounds into his body with blood scattered across the ground for the bandit falls dead.

Anna easily takes down a couple with precise shots as she trains her Dragunov onto another bandit taking the shot sending him crashing onto the ground. Artyom puts the last bandit down with a headshot clearing the area. They go up to the bandit to see a bunch of fillers on them.

"This is your lucky day Adam," Yuri said as Adam gathers the fillers into his backpack. "Station is up ahead," Yuri said.

Anna leaps onto the next roof to spot the police station but it fallen into a sinkhole. "Damn it, better start digging boys," Anna said on the radio.

Yuri, Adam and Artyom get on top of the police station with Yuri opening a hatch which allows them access inside the station being on top floor. "Look for anything useful like weapons, ammo or medical supplies," Yuri said as they search through the building for anything useful.

Anna is outside watching the perimeter to see a nearby caravan moving by. "Guys, I see a caravan coming through," she said on the radio.

"Are they hostile?" Yuri asked.

"No, their citizens; they might trying to get away from the Red Line stations," Anna said noticing the Red's markings on their vehicles.

"Everyone is trying to get away from that crazy anarchy going on in the deeper stations where the Reds have very limited control," Artyom said as they go onto the weapon lockers to find nothing of worth.

Adam spots a box under a deck to see it's locked as he fires a bullet to destroy the lock and open it revealing some treasure which is two AEK-971s. "Sweet some AEK-971s," Adam said as he tosses them to Yuri folding them and putting them in his backpack.

"In good condition too, keep looking," Yuri said as he finds some MGRs in a box seeing about 200 of them. "Nice," he puts them into his backpack.

Artyom goes into a room to find some boxes to search through them to see some sidearms like 3 PMM pistols and 2 APS machine pistols. "Sweet," he puts them in his backpack.

Adam finds more MGRs which consist of 50 rounds and a box of medicine. "Guys, I found some medicine," Adam said.

"Good, we'll be rolling in the money with these goodies," Yuri said as he sees a locker to see its well preserved. He bashes the lock off and opens it seeing a lovely sight. "Oh boy, it's an AN-94 rifle. The Rangers will be begging for a rifle like this," he folds its buttstock putting it in his backpack.

They survey the entire police station finding some more MGRs, med kits and a few more APS pistols to clean up the station. "Well some excellent finds. Let's get back to Polis and sell this stuff there," Yuri said.

Anna noticed the caravan is getting attacked by Watchmen with their guards getting killed by them. "Guys, that caravan needs our help," Anna takes aim and puts the beast down with a shot to the brain.

"Okay, we are done here anyway. Meet us at the convoy," Artyom said on the radio as Anna nods her head.

"Okay, I hope we can save them," Anna said as she slides down the ladder and assists the civilians.

The beasts ripping though the humans with ease; a guard is trying to blast one with a Duplet shotgun but the monster leaps onto the man and bites into his throat tearing it out with blood scattered onto the ground.

"Dear stay in the truck," a man said wielding his Bastard carbine with his 13 year old daughter in the back of the truck trying to fend off the beasts. He got a few of them with one manage to bypass his bullets tackling him against the truck.

"Daddy no," the girl grabs her revolver with the beast slashing her father across the chest leaving deep wounds on his body. She fires a few shots into the beast with the last one hitting its skull dropping it but it was too late. "Daddy," she said jumping out of the truck and holding him in her arms.

"Alice, for your mother and my own sake keep on living. Meet with your uncle in the Metro 3 line stations, my brother will take care of you sweet pea," her father said as a monster rushes at them with Alice firing her revolver but it clicks empty.

"Oh no," Alice holds her father tight for comfort with the Watchmen lunging at the pair with its fangs bearing out.

The beast gets nailed in the head as it flops besides the girl with Anna coming with her assault rifle holding off the beast with precise shots. "Are you okay?" Anna asked the two seeing the girl is okay but the father is gravely injured from the creature's claws.

"Yeah but my daddy is dying," she said as Anna holds off the beasts with the remaining guards getting killed off.

Artyom and the other arrive to aid wiping out the beast with Adam shooting his Bastard with the last one charging at him. He fires but the bullet gets stuck in the chamber, "Oh shit really."

Artyom turns around seeing Adam talked to the ground and get his neck snapped by the creature's maws. "Damn it," he pulls out his Saiga 12 to fire several slug rounds knocking it off Adam and puts a slug into its head getting blood on his pants and boots.

Artyom looks at Adam to see he has perished. "Adam is dead. Too young to die," he said as he draws out his pistol blasting at two Watchmen easily putting them down.

"More like too young and naive to die," Anna said on the radio.

"That too," Artyom grabs the supplies Adam has gather and put them in his own backpack.

Yuri shoot streams of bullets from his RPD to take out the last Watchmen with the convoy saved or what's left of it. "Shit, Adam's dead and almost everyone in this convoy is dead as well," Yuri said as the little teenage girl is crying on her father's corpse.

"No father, don't leave me just like mom left us," Alice wept as both Artyom and Anna feel sympathize towards the girl.

"We can take the girl with us to Polis," Anna said as they take one of the trucks with Yuri taking the wheel with Artyom and Anna taking Alice in the back of the truck.

"He was gone so fast because of those monsters," Alice weeping still as Artyom has flashes of his own mother been eaten alive by hordes of rats.

"Trust me, I know the feeling," Artyom said.

"Really, you lose people too?" Alice said as they noticed she has striking red hair, dark brown eyes and peach skin with her being quite short around 5'0 tall and thin frame.

"Yes, in this world we have to cherish what we have and then when it disappears we can keep it fondly in our memories so they in a way can live forever within our thoughts," Artyom said.

"That sounds very poetic," Alice said.

"Indeed, never thought you would be the profound type," Anna said sound impressed as well.

"When you get through things I've done, you have lots of time to ponder about such matters. Oh my rudeness, my name is Artyom young lady," he greeted her.

"I'm Anna and the big guy is Yuri," Anna said.

"Hey there, we should get to Polis within the hour," Yuri said.

"My name is Alice, thank you for trying to save us," she said.

"Don't worry about," Anna said as she almost loses her father in the Battle of D6 but she thanked the heavens that wasn't the case. "I wouldn't know what to do if my father died," she said with a frown on her.

"What are you going to do now Alice? Do you have other family?" Artyom asked.

"Well I have an uncle who lives in the deepest parts of the Metro 3 station line," she said as the three are surprised by this. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Those stations are unexplored and the only sure way of getting there would be through the tunnels from Polis but those have collapsed years ago," Yuri said.

"The stations are also across and around the river. So who knows what's over there," Anna said.

"Would you protect me and deliver me to my uncle," Alice said as she takes out 4 magazines of MGRs worth 120 rounds. "I can pay you if you want," she said.

"Thanks, we need the funds to protect you," Artyom said as Anna takes the bullets from her.

"Thank you," she said.

"Good, I don't mind going on an adventure," Yuri said as they go towards Polis.

Within the hour the four manage to reach Polis and stop by the Stalker depot to sell their finds. "Nice excellent work Yuri as always," the keeper said as he sees their goods consist of two AEK-971 rifles, one AN-94 rifle, several APS and PMM pistols, a box of medicine and a hundred of MGRs. "You can keep the rounds as a bonus as well as your payment of over 1500 MGR for your findings," the Keeper said.

"Thanks. Guys, I'll go back to my place to get ready for the trip. You guys gear up at the local shops," Yuri hands them 6 magazines of 30 rounds each. "That should be about 300 rounds. So restock and meet me at the north entrance," Yuri said as he goes off leaving the three behind to go into the underground town.

"Hey Alice, I can see you know how to shoot," Anna said.

"Yes, my daddy trained me himself," Alice said.

"Oh small world, my dad did the same thing. What kind of weapon do you prefer?" she asked.

"Well, a pistol, SMG or a carbine like the Bastard would do just fine," Alice said as Artyom hands her Adam's Bastard.

"Well obviously Adam doesn't need it anymore so you can use it to defend yourself," Artyom said as they go up to the weapon's shop.

"Artyom, welcome back and you have a lovely lady friend with you. A badass like you should get some company," the shopkeeper said as Anna is a bit fluttered by this.

"I'm his battlefield partner," Anna said.

"Oh really, see my wares and see if any please you missy," the shopkeeper said as they buy some ammo for their weapons as well as stock on canned food and medical kits with a new backpack for Alice.

The shop also modified Alice's Bastard with an AK style buttstock, a Kobra red dot sight and a heat sink. "Thank you sir," Alice slings the Bastard along with her revolver on her new hoisters.

"No problem little lady, you need to learn how to fight sooner than later. Good luck on your quest," the shopkeeper said as they go off to the north exit of Polis.

"Good. Let's get going," Yuri said.

"How are we going to get to the Metro 3 line?" Artyom said.

"Well, there is a station we can take to go there but we can only reach it from the surface. But first we have to go through Nazi stations before we get close to make the trip to the surface," Yuri said.

"Things are never easy huh," Artyom sighs.

"For a hero of the Metro it shouldn't be a big challenge right," Anna teased as the gate opens for the four to await their new quest.

"Yeah, right?" Artyom said for the four go on their new quest to take the girl to see her uncle at the unknown sections of Metro Line 3.