CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE TRIAL BY FIRE #2
“We’ve got one!” Kade called over the radio. “It’s confirmed. They’re here.”
“Where are you?” asked Greyeagle.
“Southeast corner of the perimeter,” Kade said. “We’re moving in. We’re shifting.”
Kade turned to the others.
“Shift!” he shouted.
As one, they all let the change wash over them.
Bellows of fury split the darkness as they all transformed.
Kade was shocked to see that despite his own size, Kodiak towered over him.
Normally, Kade looked down on everyone else, but he saw the raw power of the big, short-faced bear take hold of Kodiak.
“Glad he’s on our side,” Kade thought as his own transformation kicked into overdrive.
They shredded their clothing like tissue, and now they all stood fully changed.
Kade roared directly at the creature, challenging it.
Kodiak’s roar even made Kade take notice.
The others howled into the night sky. Mason, who normally was almost the same size as Kodiak in human form, was awestruck at the sheer enormity of the big bear despite coming in at a respectable ten feet tall himself.
Alarm klaxons began sounding across the facility.
“Let’s get ‘em out o’ here!” shouted Declan. “Red Basin can’t deny it now. We’re under attack!”
All around the facility, everyone burst into action. Mika led his team toward the perimeter fence. If the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso were emerging from the ground, they’d likely attack from all sides.
“Let’s move!” Mika called.
“Should we shift?” asked Betsy.
“Not yet,” Mika said. “We hold until we engage. But be ready.”
Dusty took off his shirt and tossed it into the back of a nearby truck.
“Why’d you do that?” asked Betsy, his sister.
“I love that shirt,” Dusty said. “I don’t want to shred it.”
“Then why’d you wear it today, you idiot?” Betsy asked, smiling. “Oh, I get it. Trying to look good for Leah.”
“No,” said Dusty. “Well… yeah. Maybe.”
Aiyanna smiled at them.
“She likes you too, Dusty,” Aiyanna said. “She asked me if you were single.”
“Oh, I’m definitely saving that shirt,” Dusty said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Focus up,” Mika said. “You can give her your letter jacket later, mister quarterback. Maybe even go steady. Right now, we’ve got giant rock monsters to deal with.”
“Sorry, Mika,” Dusty said with a shrug.
“Hey, I get it,” Mika said, “but now ain’t the time.”
On the other side of the facility, Kade led the charge at the first creature.
He went in fast and hot, fully intending to draw the creature’s attack.
When it swung at him, he realized the mistake.
This creature was capable of taking his head off with one swing.
Then, something unexpected happened. Kodiak caught its arm and held it, power against power.
Kodiak locked his powerful grip on the beast’s arm and matched it, strength against strength.
Kade looked shocked, remembering when one of these creatures casually knocked him through a concrete building.
But the shock was short-lived. Kade recovered in a flash of instinct and drove his shoulder into the creature’s abdomen.
It staggered back from the impact, then reached for Kade with its other hand.
Kade dove away as Kodiak grabbed it by the wrist, now holding both of its arms and standing his ground.
Kodiak let out a thunderous roar of rage and fury, giving everything he had to hold the creature at bay.
Unfortunately, two more creatures were emerging from the ground behind them.
“More are coming!” shouted Mason.
Mason and Jason engaged one creature while the Mohawk Twins went after the other.
Kade, unsure how to help, stood awestruck as Kodiak grunted with effort and slowly lifted the Ma’êstse-hóhkeso off the ground.
For its part, the creature was absolutely bewildered by the display of strength.
Since the beginning of creation, nothing had ever picked one of them up.
Kade saw Kodiak’s plan in motion and understood what was about to happen.
“Move!” roared Kade. “Get clear!”
Instantly, the others disengaged and scattered away from the creatures. With a savage twist and roar, Kodiak threw the big rock monster into the other two, shattering them all into a million pieces.
“Holy shit!” roared Kade. “That was fucking epic!”
Kodiak nodded at Kade and stepped back to admire his handiwork when the rocks began moving. The remains of the three shattered creatures were reforming into six more, rebuilding and pulling more rock from the ground.
“Well, shit,” Kade muttered. “That should’ve worked.”
“What now, boss?” asked Mason.
“Fall back to the fence!” Kade snapped. “We can’t stop them, but maybe we can slow them down.”
“Slowing them down is a long way from stopping them, cousin,” Jason said.
“Well, cuz,” Kade retorted. “I’m open to suggestions. I just watched the most impressive display of strength I’ve ever seen amount to nothing. I’m all fucking ears.”
“Let me try something,” Jason said, reaching for his spirit bag around his neck.
Jason began chanting and holding up his hands. The Ma’êstse-hóhkeso had finished forming and were advancing on them. When Jason began chanting, they stopped.
“LAKOTA,” rumbled one of the creatures.
“That’s right, big dumb and ugly,” Kade said. “We’re Lakota.”
The biggest one pointed at the oil rig.
“NOT LAKOTA,” it said, its voice like stone grating on stone.
“Fuck me,” Kade said. “You racist bastard.”
Kade turned to Jason.
“What did you do to stop it?” asked Kade. “Maybe we can extend it to the entire facility.”
“I doubt it,” Jason replied. “I just asked Wak?á? T?á?ka to protect us. It was the first thing that came to mind.”
“Well, it’s working,” Kade said. “At least for now. It’ll at least buy us time to evacuate.”
“And watch them destroy yet another facility?” asked Jason.
“Dude, I’m out of answers,” Kade admitted. “If any of the other fights with these things have taught me anything, nothing we’ve tried so far will do more than buy us time.”
“So, we just sit back until they’ve destroyed every oil rig in the state?” Jason retorted.
“I didn’t say that, cuz,” Kade said, shaking his head.
“I said nothing we’ve tried so far has worked.
I can’t beat these things into submission.
We need a strategist, not more brute force.
Because I just watched the biggest display of strength I’ve ever seen do nothing more than make more of the damned things. ”
“We need time to figure something out,” Jason said.
“I think we’ve got time,” Kade said. “They’re not trying to push past us. I’m not sure how long that’ll last, though.”
“Then here’s hoping something comes to me quick,” Jason said.
Across the compound, Greyeagle watched as six more of the creatures emerged from the ground and advanced toward the fence. Then, inexplicably, they stopped and stood there, still as statues.
“Why did they stop?” asked Sarah.
“I don’t know,” Greyeagle replied. “Let’s get closer and see if they react.”
As they approached, Greyeagle saw the closest one turn its rocky head toward him. Then, it slowly raised its hand and pointed at him.
“LAKOTA,” it said, sounding like the voice came from deep within the earth.
“Well, it knows who we are,” Sarah said.
“Mika to Greyeagle,” Mika said over the radio.
“Go,” Greyeagle replied.
“The ones over here just stopped,” Mika said. “They’re just standing there.”
“How many of them are there?” asked Greyeagle.
“Eight,” Mika said. “One of them pointed at me and said Lakota in a creepy-as-hell voice.”
“Declan t’ Greyeagle,” Declan cut in. “We saw what stopped ‘em. Yer shaman did some hoodoo, and they stopped. I ain’t sure why.”
“Jason must’ve found a way to at least hold them temporarily,” Greyeagle said. “We should’ve brought grandfather and Rose. Perhaps together, they could find a way to turn them back.”
“I’ll call them,” Sarah said. “They can be here in a bout half an hour if they hurry.”
Greyeagle nodded.
“We’re calling in the others,” Greyeagle said. “Maybe between them all, they can push these things back.”
“Copy that,” Declan said. “We’re almost done evacuatin’ the rig. The protestors took care o’ themselves. As soon as the beasties popped out o’ the ground, they moved back t’ the far side o’ the highway.”
“That’s good,” Greyeagle replied. “One less thing to worry about.”
“How long do ye think these beasties ‘ll sit still?” asked Declan.
“I have no idea,” Greyeagle answered. “My guess is they won’t wait forever. We bought time, nothing more.”
“We can always let ‘em have the facility,” Declan suggested. “We’ll have everyone clear in a few minutes. Then maybe figure out another way a’for they hit another one.”
Greyeagle paused for a moment, considering his options.
“No,” he said after a moment. “We draw the line in the dirt here. This ends now.”
“Aye, boyo,” Declan replied. “It’s yer call. We’ll back yer play, one way ‘r t’other.”
Sarah nodded at Greyeagle as she put her phone back in her pocket.
“Help is on the way,” Greyeagle said. “We hold.”