Chapter 5
Colorado, somewhere near Denver
The beginning of May
Brir
I rubbed my hand against Dune’s scaly neck. The scales that covered his body were soft and pliant but still allowed him some protection from the elements. My species did not have the adaptations that the other species of my world did. We were older and had not evolved like the others, having mainly stayed to ourselves and under our mountain. I wasn’t covered in hard scales like a Gatero or could blend into the forest around me like a Cavalry. I also wasn’t a top predator like a Rizuga. Nope, we lived underground. So what did I get? I got eyes that hated the daylight and skin you could see from miles away. I had to be cautious, move slowly, and take my time. A bullet from human guns would probably end my life. Yes, I was faster than them and stronger, but I wasn’t immortal. I wasn’t invincible.
It was a good thing the humans were utterly stupid.
I had been following them for days, and they had yet to figure out someone was tracking them. I stayed far enough away so they wouldn’t notice me. Dune’s enormous body was easily spotted in the sunlight, but his dark brown and tan scales offered him some camouflage. They weren’t taking the open roads, so we had plenty of cover.
I knew Dune was getting restless; he was not much of a stalker, more of a sprinter. He liked to chase and hunt things down. Stalking and hiding were not in his nature; he was a top predator.
The soldiers were trying to take the connecting old highway routes and kept getting lost or having to backtrack because the roads were blocked by debris. Twice now, Dune and I had lain down in the tall grasses so they could pass without noticing us.
Curled up against Dune’s warm scales, I sighed heavily as the human soldiers once again made a wrong turn and started to backtrack. Dune rumbled beneath me, a low growl of annoyance escaping his jowls. I could feel his restlessness seeping into my muscles.
“They are so lost,” I whispered, shaking my head, as Dune snuggled his head beneath my arm. “How have they survived this long?” I asked the air around us, not expecting any answer.
I watched as the humans struggled to navigate the broken roadway, their movements clumsy and unsure. It was difficult not to feel a pang of sympathy for them.
Pulling out a spiral-bound map of the roads I kept in a saddle bag on Dune’s back, I looked at the mile markers again to see where we were. We were about 200 miles from my home in Colorado, and I still couldn’t figure out where they were going. They were avoiding all the major highways that I knew the military regularly used to cut through the state. I was starting to feel like they were avoiding someone, and I wondered who it could be.
“Where are they heading to?” I murmured, tracing the meandering path they had taken on my map. Dune shifted beneath me, his rumbling growl vibrating through my body in response to my question. I felt a shiver of anticipation ripple through me.
The two I followed back to the convoy were almost always paired. The man named Ryes didn’t get along with many other soldiers. Then there was the mysterious doctor. All the humans gave him an extensive berth. He ate alone when they stopped and was the only one to take care of whatever the creature was in the back of the truck.
I didn’t know what it was exactly, but I knew it didn’t belong in a cage—not like this.
“These humans are a piece of work,” I muttered to myself as my mind scrambled for a way to free the captive creature. Dune rumbled again, a low sound that seemed to agree with me. “Okay, Dune,” I patted his coarse scales.
I noticed that the doctor kept whatever animal in the cage very sedated. It never made much noise. Sometimes, I thought I heard chains scraping around when they stopped at night. That freaked out the soldiers. They would all look at the vehicle that held the cage in fear. Most wouldn’t even approach the truck, but they never left the cage out of sight. I had yet to have a single opportunity to sneak close enough to be able to see what the creature was.
My eyes flicked to the convoy, making an awkward U-turn amongst the rubble. The sun was setting, casting long, distorted shadows over the scene. Perfect. I felt a thrill of anticipation surge through me even as I tried to tamp it down. I needed to be clear-headed for this.
When they finally did stop, the soldiers took turns standing guard outside whatever house they found for the night. When it was dark, I tried to creep closer to see what was in the vehicle, but they always parked it too close to the fire they had built.
I sighed again, frustration knotting in the pit of my belly. This was going nowhere fast. I needed a plan. After all, I didn’t have all the time in the world; every additional moment we spent on this wild chase meant another moment that creature was chained and captive.
“Dune, what do you think?” I asked, turning to look at my scaled companion. His amber eyes glinted with intelligence and a hint of mischief. He grunted softly, moving his massive head as though shrugging. “Very helpful,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help smiling slightly.
“Do you reckon they’ve realized their mistake yet, Dune?” I asked in a whisper to my towering companion. His golden eyes flicked at me before he surveyed the ground again, looking for small creatures he could dig out of their bunkers. I lowered the binoculars and leaned back against the trunk of the tree we were hiding behind, listening to the harsh whispers carried by the wind.
The grunt work was left to the soldiers again. Their superior, the man they called ‘Captain,’ did nothing but sit inside the armored vehicle, barking orders through a voice amplifier I could see mounted on the car. He was more of a burden than a leader.
Dune and I were comfortably hidden in the brush. I let out a soft sigh, my eyes never leaving the armored vehicle, and it finally began to roll forward, embarking on its detour. Dune grumbled beside me, his large black claws scraping against the loose gravel beneath us as he shifted. I rubbed his side, feeling the rough scales beneath my fingers.
“I know,” I murmured in agreement with his unspoken sentiment. It was taking too long. Too many opportunities had come and gone without any progress toward rescuing the captive creature. Yet something deep in my gut told me our chance was near; all I needed was the right moment.
I was baffled at the human’s strange behavior. From my vantage point, I could see the large cage covered in a tarp at the back of their vehicle. It emitted faint sounds and movements, indicating that whatever was inside was alive. The cage had a soil pan underneath it, which the doctor would slide out when the creature needed to relieve itself. It was a puzzling sight that left me curious and slightly unnerved. I was surprised that the beast just never put up a fight. Even drugged something from my world would and should have moments of clarity to try and escape.
A large, clear water bottle hung from the side of a metal cage, its surface slick with condensation. I had seen them fill it multiple times, their hands careful and gentle as they poured water into the small spout. It reminded me of the giant bottles humans kept for their beloved creature pets, which they thought were cute and harmless. The cage was cold and complex, with sharp edges and bars that glinted in the dim light when the tarp was lifted just briefly.
“To think … we are reduced to this.”
Dune tilted his head, his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight above us. His confusion was evident, but I didn’t elaborate. My attention focused on the army vehicle and the creature’s cage, which was rattling more violently now.
I truthfully should have given up on watching this parade of humans and just ventured back to the bunker. We were headed toward it, but the humans were moving so frustratingly slowly. They had to have so many breaks. Stopping every few hours for people to relieve themselves or to eat.
I watched them all tear open packaged food before shoveling it into their mouths. They didn’t feed the beast in the cage, though. I couldn’t see if they starved it to keep it weak or if it had food inside the cage.
Even through all that, my curiosity about what was in the back of that armored vehicle was piqued, and I had to see it. They would have to unload the creature somewhere.
As time passed, my suspicion grew. A growing unease stirred within me like a strong undercurrent threatening to pull me under. The creature’s screams had been gut-wrenching, and they left an imprint in my mind, echoing even in the silence that followed. Dune had tensed beside me, his muscles rigid beneath his scales, mirroring my own heightened senses.
I had hunted out of the caves I called home many times and knew most of the animals that roamed my world. I had never heard anything in my world make that sound before.
Whatever was in that cage was precious to them—precious enough to have a dozen soldiers guarding it through the harsh terrain. Dune seemed aware of this, too, showing a peculiar interest in the cage that went beyond his usual territorial instincts.
“Do you smell anything strange, Dune?” I asked, hoping his superior senses could tell me more about what they were transporting.
He flicked an ear at me but didn’t shift his gaze from the convoy trudging forward. The sun blazed mercilessly overhead, turning the world into a stark contrast of light and shadows. Sweat trickled down my back as I squinted at the humans, trying to glean whatever information I could from their actions.
We had just crossed the border into Colorado when a tire on one of the vehicles blew. I watched as they all pulled over. I couldn’t hear what they said, but several people were arguing. The person I presumed was in charge got between the arguing pair and pointed farther down the highway.
We were only a few hours from the bunker, and the humans were stalled again. I was finally growing impatient. I was curious but didn’t know if I wanted to keep following these humans. If they passed the bunker, Dune and I would call it quits and just go home.
“Quite the spectacle, isn’t it, Dune?”
Clearly, there was a disagreement among the ranks about directions or who was to blame for the blown tire. I wasn’t sure. Their annoyance and frustration came alive in the twilight as the sun dipped below the horizon.
They were waving their arms angrily, their faces flushed with the heat and frustration. Their captain, whose arrogance was as vast as his waistline, tried to mediate the situation. His words were lost in the distance, but his heavy gesticulations suggested forceful persuasion.
They got into the vehicles and slowly drove up the cracked asphalt away before taking a left down a dirt road. Dune and I followed at a distance, and I saw a street sign for County Rd C.
There wasn’t much to hide in except shrubby bushes that were taking over. I led Dune to the other side of the field and took off his saddle and pack before hiding them in the bush.
“Go hunt, my friend. I will watch them. Don’t get close to the humans,” I patted the animal gently before releasing his harness. Dune nudged me with his muzzle, then turned to walk away. I knew he wouldn’t go far. I crept up to the house that the humans had stopped by. Several were searching the barn for something. More were removing the deflated tire.
The man, whom the others called Doc, was pulling out the creature’s waste pan again and dumping it. With night coming fast, I knew they must be planning to hunker down here. They had never moved after dusk, but most humans avoided the dark now. The larger, bold, meat-eating predators of my world that had made it through the rupture came out at night. Our planet wasn’t as bright as this one. Our sun was farther away. I had no idea how this species had even evolved on this hunk of rock. Everything here seemed to be wrong compared to what our world was like. I was surprised that both of our species breathed the same air. We had gravity. Could live and die. We were not that different.
I shook the hollow thoughts from my mind as I watched them fix the tire with a jack they found in the barn. I watched the humans for a few hours till it was pitch black out, and Dune’s loud baying sounded through the night, signaling he had returned. I put the binoculars down before returning to where I had left Dune’s saddle. He had come back and was lying on the ground near an animal carcass, still stripping meat from the bones of his kill.
“Did you get enough to eat, my friend?” I whispered to him as I ran my hand down his neck before I tried to take the carcass away. Dune refused to let it go. Jaws clamped tight around a leg.
I chuckled, gently patting his flank. “Alright, just be sure not to choke.” Dune’s tail patted the dry soil gleefully, and he delved back into his meal with an enthusiasm that I found endearing. I sat back on my heels, observing our surroundings as the sun sank lower in the sky.
Nidra had trained the Lepots very well. When Dune stood for me, I grabbed the saddle and placed it on his back. “I want you to stay close, Dune,” I told the lepot, fastening the buckles around his belly. When I was done, Dune finished his meal and lay down, nestling his head on his paws and closing his eyes.
“Good boy.” I gave him another pat and turned to find a spot to watch the humans. Big, full trees surrounded the property. I found one as close to the house as possible and scaled it quickly. Before I settled my back against the trunk, my legs crossed over the branch I sat on, and I crossed my arms around my chest to watch the humans again. I started to feel weary. It had now been almost seven days without rest.
We could go many days without sleep, but even I was pushing my limits. I would need to rest soon. Dune had been resting some when the humans stopped at night. His restless energy during the day was driving me crazy. The animal would end up bolting if he didn’t run soon.
The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the landscape. From where I perched, I could hear the soft murmurs of the humans. They were speaking, voices low and cautious. The sound of laughter echoed occasionally, punctuated by stern commands from their captain. A fire crackled near the house, its warm scent cutting through the cool night air.
The creature they held captive was silent tonight. I imagined it curled up on itself inside its small cage, fear and confusion rendering it immobile. My fingers clenched around the rough bark of my perch at the thought. I had to free it.
Most of my body was covered, and my hair was tucked in the hood of my jacket, which was pulled down low over my face. The wrap around my neck covered my mouth and nose and hid almost all of my face, but it didn’t obscure my vision when the two people who usually took the first shift outside stepped around the house. I was closer than I usually would have been. The tree I had found to climb had thick foliage that hid me from their eyes but allowed me to be closer than I could get the other nights. I could finally make out what they were saying.
“I can’t believe we’re hauling that animal across the wilds,” the man with a deep voice said as he kicked the tire of the nearby vehicle.
“Don’t do that, Anderson. I don’t want that thing to start screaming.” The other man looked worriedly at the vehicle. “That thing creeps me out.”
“You heard the doc, Cole. He gave it an injection. I bet it can’t even hold its head up,” Anderson said, leaning against the vehicle. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and hit it against his palm.
Cole shook his head, his worried gaze never leaving the vehicle. “I don’t care what Doc gave it. I don’t like it, Anderson. Something about it … I just can’t shake this feeling.”
Anderson lit a cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke, his brow creasing in a frown.
“You’re talking nonsense, Cole. It’s just an animal now.” “I still don’t get what use that thing is,” Cole said in disgust, eyeing the hatch of the vehicle that Anderson was leaning on.
“Oh, you know damn well why they are hauling it around. It’s supposed to save us or some shit. Figure out how to kill the monsters. Hell, I think the captain has it right. We should auction it off to the highest bidder. Might as well make some good money off of it.” Anderson said, taking another drag from his cigarette.
“We all know we can’t kill them, we’ve tried,” Cole said.
Cole wasn’t wrong. We were hard as fuck to kill. Faster and more powerful than humans. Some of us even had unique gifts. Arya’s blood could destroy everything. Just wipe matter out of existence. She wasn’t called a world eater for no reason. The woman was the most powerful creature that roamed this world. If the humans had known what she was when they had captured her after she tried to talk peace, they could have made something compelling with her blood.
“That’s why they need these things,” Anderson said, gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder. “I hear the doc at the facility in Washington is worse than Doc Mathews. She’s supposed to be a horrible piece of work. Likes to take pieces of the monsters.” Anderson smiled.
Cole shivered.
“Knock it off, Anderson. I don’t want to know what they do to these things. They are still living beings,” Cole said.
He looked sad, almost like he regretted whatever they had done to the creature in the vehicle. Anderson just laughed. The sound echoed through the still night, stirring a visceral reaction within me. I could feel my anxiety morphing into something more dangerous, an anger that fizzled beneath my skin like heated coils.
“Won’t be alive for long when the new doc gets it,” Anderson said, taking another drag from his cigarette. The front door opened, and a big, heavy-set man came onto the porch.
“Well, if they win the bid. That guy from Russia said he would give three mil for it. That’s a fuck ton of money. We all could live nice lives after this one.”
“Alright, gentlemen. Enough chatter. Let’s secure the perimeter,” the heavy-set man ordered, crossing his arms across his chest, his voice gruff and commanding.
Both Anderson and Cole stood to attention, their casual demeanor evaporating instantly. Anderson’s disgruntled expression echoed my sentiments at his words. I scowled beneath the shadow of my hood, my heart pounding with a newfound urgency. The chill of the night air seemed to seep into my bones, fueling the rampant anxiety within me.
“Alright, sir,” Cole said, saluting before moving toward the vehicle’s tailgate.
The heavy-set man turned and returned to the abandoned house, slamming the door shut.
Anderson stared angrily at the door. “That guy is such a dick,” he said to Cole. “I would probably shoot him if he wasn’t going to pay us so well.”
Cole elbowed him in the gut. “Be quiet. He’ll hear you,’’ he whispered furiously. “I don’t want to deal with whatever punishment he gives you. Come on, let’s go.”
Anderson grumbled something unintelligible beneath his breath, flicking the spent cigarette onto the gravel before following Cole’s retreating figure. They were repositioning now, their movements a little more cautious and guarded. I watched as they moved with a practiced ease; the men knew what they were doing even though their hearts weren’t in it. I watched as they walked around the side of the house and out of sight. Anderson was still bitching about his superior. Cole seemed to be the more straight-laced of the two.
I watched them make their rounds and thought they seemed very predictable. After a few hours, two other soldiers came out to relieve them. One was the female I had seen the first night, but the other was different. The two started making the same rounds when Anderson and Cole went inside. This was what the last few days had been like. The vehicle was never left out of the soldiers’ sight for long. About an hour after the guard switch, I watched them come around the side of the house again before the female nudged the other and pointed to the barn. The two soldiers smiled at each other.
I watched as both made their way over to the barn before slowly and quietly closing the doors. My forehead wrinkled as I pondered what they were doing. It wasn’t long before the distinct sounds of sex reached my ears. I rolled my eyes.
“Of course, how could I have not seen this coming?” I murmured to myself. The sultry sounds of their coupling rose and fell as they started pleasuring each other.
My attention was solely focused on the abandoned vehicle now. This might be my only chance to free whatever creature they had inside.
I leaped gracefully down to the ground, looking again at the barn. The sounds of sex continued. I grinned at how foolish the humans were as I moved slowly to the vehicle and its cage.
I crept over to the truck, keeping the barn in my vision. Approaching the tailgate, I glanced back at the barn, ensuring the guards were still … occupied.
Their passion still echoed into the night, a soft symphony that masked my movements. Fools. I reached my gloved hands out to the latch. Slowly, I eased it up before lifting the hatch as quietly as possible to peer inside.
A cage several feet wide and several feet across was nestled into the back of the vehicle. A tarp covered it. I slowly inched the tarp up to look under it without startling whatever they had inside and froze.
Eyes that shouldn’t be looking back at me with such humanity blinked once.