Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Jameson
T he cow gave a low, indignant moo.
Marc tugged on the rope. “Come on, Bessie.”
“You named it?” Zeke said incredulously.
“I didn’t want to just call her cow.”
“We’re using it to lure a monster. It could get eaten.”
Marc covered Bessie’s ears. “Hey, don’t tell her that, bro.”
I sighed. “Get the cow up on the dam wall.” I spotted Maxim coming out of the workshop holding the spherical electro device. His dark hair was tied back in a short tail at the base of his neck. “We need to be ready to deploy the electro weapon, but we need a monster first.”
The twins nodded and the cow mooed.
It was a bright, crisp morning. Even though the sun was hot on my skin, the temperature was nice.
A perfect day for monster hunting.
I strode over to meet Maxim. “All ready?”
He nodded. “It’s ready. Like I said, the best impact will be if the monster swallows the device. If it just goes off in the water beside the monster, I can’t guarantee the result. “
“Yeah, we have a plan for that.”
Maxim looked at the cow and lifted a brow.
“Whatever gets the job done,” I said. “I prefer it eating a cow than one of us.” I turned to the water, letting my gaze run over the lake. The water was still. No sign of the monster this morning.
The base door opened, and Greer strode out.
Instantly, I felt lighter. Memories of last night filled my head.
She spotted me and smiled. “Good morning.”
“Morning. Sleep well?”
“Extremely well.” She shot me a private smile. Then she turned to look at the device in Maxim’s hands. “It’s ready? I thought it would be bigger.”
“It’s big enough to get the job done,” Maxim said. “But it needs to be inside the monster.”
Greer frowned. “What? Did you say inside ?”
“Jameson has a plan.”
She whirled. “You’re going to put that inside the creature that’s already killed two people?” The cow mooed. Greer’s eyes widened. “Oh God.”
“You keep your people back.” I could see several of the engineers hovering by the door.
“Can I have a word? In private.” She grabbed my sleeve and dragged me around the corner of the base entrance and out of view of the others. “This is dangerous.”
There was worry in her voice.
“My work is dangerous, Greer.” I cupped her cheek. “But the guys and I know what we’re doing. We’re good at this.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“That’s not on my agenda for today.” I lowered my head and nibbled at her lips.
She clung to me. With a groan, I deepened the kiss. She kissed me back enthusiastically
I had to force myself to set her down. I squeezed her hip. “I’ve got to get back to the squad.”
“Be careful out there, Jameson.” She grabbed my shirt. “I promise you all kinds of sexual favors if you come back to me in one piece.”
I instantly went hard. “All kinds?”
“Yes.” She released me. “Now, go do your thing.”
I couldn’t resist another quick, hard kiss. “I’ll be back. And Greer, I’ll be looking to cash in on that promise.” I strode back out onto the dam wall, energized. “All right, Hunter Squad, let’s do this.”
Maxim pressed some buttons on the electro device and a hum came from the weapon. “It’s armed and ready.”
He handed it over and my hands closed on the cool metal. I felt a low pulse coming from it.
“I have the control.” Maxim held up a small remote control. “I’ll stand up here on the dam wall and when it’s in position, I’ll activate it.”
Zeke and Marc had the cow by the edge of the water. Kai and North stood nearby with carbines in hand, watching for the monster.
I walked to the cow, then I glanced back. Greer and her team were high on the wall. She nodded.
“Let’s ring the dinner bell,” I said.
The Talon appeared overhead, the wash from its rotors catching my hair. Colbie flew out over the water.
“Releasing cargo,” she said across the comm line.
Cow blood tipped from the cargo hold and hit the water. Then the Talon flew back toward the dam wall, leaving a trail that led right to Bessie.
“I have movement in the water,” Sasha said on comms.
“It’s coming,” Kai murmured.
There were ripples far out in the water. The monster was arrowing right toward the chum. It moved through the trail of blood like a heat-seeking missile.
“Look sharp.” My hands tightened on the electro weapon. I reached over and tied the device to the cow’s collar.
The monster reared out of the water.
Fuck me . It looked bigger than it had seemed yesterday. Six tentacles were waving, and that huge sucker mouth in the center of the black, oily body came into view.
Bessie went crazy, snapping the rope.
Shit . I grabbed for her, but she rammed into me. I managed to rip the electro device off her, just before she ran off along the dam wall.
Okay. Plan B.
Clutching the weapon tightly, I zeroed in on the monster’s sucker mouth and pulled my arm back. I tossed the device.
It sailed toward the creature’s mouth.
Yes. Come on.
A tentacle whipped through the air. It hit the device, and I watched as the electro weapon hit the water with a splash. It bobbed there like a beach ball.
My gut clenched. No , dammit .
The tentacle changed direction and sailed right at me. I dropped to the ground, and it swung past my head. I heard Kai and the others open fire.
I looked up, and saw the tentacle reaching farther than it ever had before. Jeez, how long was it?
Then my chest locked. It was aiming right at Greer and the other engineers.
I leaped to my feet. “Watch out!”
The engineers all scrambled. The tentacle curled around Lisa, and I heard Greer shouting. She kicked at the tentacle.
Then Lisa was yanked off the wall and into the air. Her screams were piercing.
The tentacle pulled her into the water with a splash.
Hell . I ran. I didn’t stop to think. I dropped my carbine and then I dove off the wall and into the water.
Greer
No .
My heart was beating so hard it hurt.
The monster had taken Lisa.
And Jameson had just dove in after her.
Oh, my God.
I raced down the stairs. Kai, North, Zeke, and Marc were all firing on the creature. The tentacle came up, Lisa still wrapped in it and soaking wet. She was screaming.
The monster screeched.
Where was Jameson?
I searched the water frantically. I couldn’t lose him. I’d just finally gotten him to see me.
I had feelings for him and I knew there was the possibility of so much more. He was mine . I knew it. Hell, somewhere inside me, I’d known it for a long time.
The monster screeched so loudly I stopped and clapped my hands over my ears.
“There he is,” Kai yelled.
I lowered my hands and saw Jameson pulling himself up on a tentacle. He started stabbing at it with his knife. It was the tentacle holding Lisa.
He sawed his blade into the flesh. I saw black, sludge-like blood dripping into the water.
The tentacle waved violently, and Lisa went flying. She hit the water with a splash.
“I’ve got her.” Kai shoved his carbine at me. “Greer, keep firing.”
I nodded.
As Kai dove into the water, all my worry for Lisa and Jameson solidified. I raced to the edge of the dam wall and lifted the weapon. My father was a sniper, and I’d been shooting since I was a little girl. A gun felt all too familiar in my hands. I was my father’s daughter, after all.
I saw Jameson leap off the tentacle. He started cutting through the water, heading back to the wall.
The monster was thrashing. Black blood filled the water, floating like an oil slick. Then the creature turned and its gaze locked on Jameson.
It started swimming toward him, accelerating quickly.
No .
I aimed and fired.
North appeared beside me, concentrating his fire in the same location as mine.
“Jameson, swim faster,” North said into his earpiece.
God, the monster was gaining on him. I switched, aiming for one of the creature’s red eyes.
Direct hit.
The monster stopped, thrashing wildly.
“North, aim for the eyes.”
“Got it.” He adjusted his aim. “Shit, that’s a small target. How the hell did you hit it?”
We kept firing, but the creature lifted its tentacles, blocking our laser fire. It resumed chasing after Jameson, its mouth gaping open. It lunged, sending a large wave of water toward us.
Jameson disappeared under the water.
Under the damn monster.
“Jameson!” I screamed.
Water splashed up onto the dam wall and North yanked me back.
There was a wash of air. The Talon flew into view, hovering over the dam wall. There were two ropes dangling beneath it.
Then, two powerful bodies were running along the dam wall—Zeke and Marc.
Both men leaped up and grabbed the ropes.
My heart leaped into my throat. They held on as the quadcopter moved over the water.
Over the monster.
The twins were firing directly down onto it. The creature let out more ear-splitting shrieks, and the water churned. I lifted my carbine and kept firing.
The Talon dodged two waving tentacles. It was a hell of a display of Colbie’s flying skills.
Come on, Jameson. I scanned the water. Where was he?
I refused to believe that he was gone. Refused to believe that he was inside that horrible creature.
Suddenly, I saw his head break the water. He powered toward the dam wall.
The relief was so strong it almost drove me to my knees.
He was pulling something behind him. I gasped. He’d found the electro weapon.
I refocused on the monster, firing until my carbine ran out of charge. Dangling below the Talon, I saw Zeke dropping something onto the monster.
Boom. Boom. Boom .
The grenades detonated.
With a squeal, the monster sank into the water and swam away. It disappeared from view, leaving only a ripple in the water.
I sagged. God . Adrenaline charged inside me.
“Everyone okay?” North touched a finger to his ear. “Good.”
I spotted Kai with a sodden Lisa. He was helping her up the ladder and onto the dam wall.
I ran down toward them. “Lisa, are you all right?” Her braid had come loose and her hair stuck to her cheeks.
“No.” The woman’s voice was shaky. “Hell the fuck no.”
“I’ve got her.” North wrapped an arm around the woman. “I’ll take you down to the infirmary.”
“I want sedatives. The good stuff. Don’t hold out on me.”
I fought back a smile. She was going to be okay.
Kai stood and shook the water off.
A moment later, Jameson appeared at the ladder. “Kai.” He handed the electro weapon up to the other man.
I stared at Jameson, a million emotions storming around inside me. He’d almost died.
He reached the top and straightened, running a hand over his head and shaking off some water.
“Are you all right?” My voice was tight.
“Yeah.”
I strode up to him. “Are you insane ?” I smacked his chest. “You dove into the water with a giant monster.”
“I had to save Lisa. And we needed to get the electro weapon.”
“You risked your life. You almost got eaten.” I realized my voice had risen several notches.
“Hey.” He grabbed my hands, holding them to his chest. “It’s okay, Greer. I’m okay.”
I wasn’t. I couldn’t get a hold on my emotions.
All I could think about was losing him.
“Take a deep breath,” he said.
I managed to drag one in, then another. That’s when I saw a deep scratch on his neck and shoulder. It was smeared with black, oily, monster blood.
“You’re hurt, and you’ve got monster goop on you. It could be poisonous.”
“North will?—”
“No, he’s busy with Lisa. I’ll look at you.”
Jameson eyed me. “All right.” He looked at the people hovering nearby. “Everyone, that’s it for now. Let’s regroup.”
I took his hand and tugged him toward the base door.