Chapter 15 #2
Marc fired on the bat monsters. North and Kai scooped up the captured threader. Jameson gripped the net and helped.
Zeke and Jess fired behind us as more of the bats poured in from the open doorways. I wished I still had my blaster.
“Move,” Marc yelled. “Let’s blow this joint. Beers are on Kai later.”
“Me?” Kai huffed as he heaved the threader forward. “No, it’s your turn, Jackson.”
The squad ran, and then darted through a doorway. We hurried down a corridor, Jess and Zeke keeping the last of the bats off us.
“They’re thinning out,” Jess said.
We stepped into the hangar, and I saw a crumpled Hawk nearby.
That’s when I felt a prickle along the back of my neck.
I whirled.
The rest of the squad hurried past me, but I stared into the shadows and my stomach clenched. Something was watching us.
“Colbie,” Marc called. “Come on.”
A monster stepped out of the darkness.
My chest locked. For a second, I thought it was a threader, but then I realized it was a monster I’d never seen before.
It had a black, muscular body similar to a threader, but it was taller, broader. Its muscular arms ended in long claws and as it took a set of large, folded wings behind its back.
Marc pressed against my back, and I heard his low curse.
The monster had glowing gold eyes and was staring at us. I could just make out a set of short horns on its head. I felt a wash of cold dread.
The winged monster waved an arm in our direction.
What was it—?
A new stream of flying monsters poured into the hangar.
It wasn’t just bats—there were mutant birds, reptilian looking creatures with wings, large monster insects.
They streamed past the winged monster and it made a sound—a low, toned hum.
The swarm of monsters wheeled around and aimed straight for me and Marc.
Horror filled me. Were they obeying the winged monster’s commands?
“Marc? Colbie?” Jameson sprinted back into the hangar. “What’s the hold up?” Then he saw the winged monster and bats. “Fucking hell.”
Jameson and Marc lifted their carbines and fired. The monsters hit us like a black wave.
I ducked down and covered my head. The carbines whined.
“Back up,” Jameson ordered.
I lifted my head. The creatures were thinning, but as I watched, the winged monster’s wings flared out behind it. It took flight.
Its muscular body flew straight upward, blindingly fast.
“Fuck,” Marc fired at it.
Suddenly, the winged monster wheeled back around and flew downward, diving at us.
Marc’s body hit me, we rolled across the floor. The air was knocked out of me. Jameson was flat on the floor nearby.
The monster swooped past us and grabbed at Marc.
His body lifted off the ground.
“No!” I cried.
The monster lifted him several meters into the air. I scrambled to my feet.
“Marc!”
I heard carbine fire. North and Jess appeared, firing on the winged monster.
Jameson did the same. The rest of the squad appeared.
“Fucking hell,” Kai muttered.
Zeke’s face was a terrible mask as he watched his brother. Marc was fighting against the winged monster, his feet kicking in the air.
“Take that damn thing down, Hunter Squad,” Jameson bellowed.
The team opened fire.
The monster stared at us for a second, let out a loud, throaty sound, then dropped Marc.
A scream lodged in my throat as he fell. With a powerful flap of its wings, the monster flew straight upward.
I didn’t watch it disappear, I was running.
Marc slammed into the concrete floor.
“Marc!” I dropped to my knees beside him.
“O-kay,” he wheezed.
His face was twisted in a grimace. He pressed a hand to his ribs and let out a groan.
I ran my hands over his body. “Don’t move.”
“I’m all right.”
“North,” I cried.
The medic was there in a second. “Nasty fall, Marc. Anything broken?”
“Don’t think so.” He sat up, and I pressed an arm to his back. “Maybe some bruised ribs.”
A sob tried to break out of my chest.
“Hey.” Marc’s gaze locked on me. “I’m okay, dove. I’ve had way worse falls than this.” He pulled me close and I pressed my face to his neck.
I felt the steady thump of his pulse against my cheek and breathed him in.
“What the hell was that thing?” North asked.
“No fucking clue,” Jameson responded, keeping his carbine aimed upward.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jess said. “But whatever it was, it was intelligent.”
Marc made a sound. “It was. It spoke.”
“Spoke?” Jameson said grimly.
“It said this is only the beginning.”
“It spoke in English?” Jess said, her eyes wide.
Marc nodded.
Jameson shook his head. “Okay, let’s shelve that for now. First priority, get out of here.”
“Someone help me up,” Marc said.
I scrambled up, just as Zeke gripped his brother’s arm and heaved him to his feet. The two of them shared a look, then Marc grabbed his brother’s bicep and squeezed.
Then Marc took my hand. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
“Are you sure that you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.” He gripped my chin. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters to me.” He yanked me in for a quick kiss.
“Come on, you two,” Jameson said, a tiny smile flirting on his lips. “I bet you two have had enough of this place. Let’s go home.”