Surprised by the action, Ramirez gratefully reclaimed his weapon and held it loosely by his side.
“Thank you. Now what’s this permanent solution of yours to destroy the aliens?”
CHAPTER 22
dEV1Lkin
Cracks splintering across glass walls, glass smashing to the floor, debris falling from the ceilings and the creaking of weakened metal supports and stressed concrete had Dalton’s nerves on edge. Richard glanced back at the nervous soldier jerking his weapon to every sound. It was Dalton’s first experience battling aliens. He would either learn quickly or suffer the consequences.
“Keep it together, Dalton. I’ve faced worst and lived to tell the tale.”
“Yeah, unlike most who accompanied you, so I’ve heard. Just do your job and I’ll do mine.”
“Not to be pedantic, but I’m actually doing your job. You abducted me from mine.”
Concentrating on his surroundings, Dalton ignored him.
When they reached the end of the corridor, Richard glanced through a cracked glass wall into the birthing chamber. The oversized Black cocoon hanging from the ceiling had stopped pulsating, and no eggs were presently being ejected from the tube. Wondering if the explosion had killed it, he stared at the unmoving mass for signs of life. His speculation ceased when the egg tube retracted into its form; it was still alive. He pressed forward, and then jumped back, careening into Dalton when something slammed against the glass, increasing the number of cracks spreading over its surface with a splintering that was both ominous and nerve-wracking. Fortunately, the glass held.
Dalton shoved Richard away and raised his rifle at the Black sludge sending out thin tentacles searching for weaknesses in the barrier preventing it from getting at its prey. As Dalton’s finger applied pressure to the trigger, Richard pushed the barrel down.
“Shoot, and you break the only thing stopping them from getting at us.” Richard released his hold on the weapon and pointed out other Black forms moving within the gloom-filled room.
Dalton shuddered as he watched a small alien creature claw its way from an egg sac, the flashlight beam glistening off the glutinous albumen covering its evil form. The new-born monstrosity puffed up like a bladder fish and sprouted short, sharp spikes along the ridge forming along its back. A long tail snaked out from its rear and grew a small spiked club on the tip. Legs and a head with stumpy flat teeth and tiny, piercing eyes quickly followed. Spying the two humans and recognizing them as something to be eaten, it bounded forward and leapt at the glass. The cracked and weakened pane vibrated alarmingly from the blow. The spiderweb of splintering cracks increased and slithered to the edges of the frame. The other birthed hatchlings turned their vicious heads at the sound and stared hungrily at the humans all wanted to devour.
Dalton glanced at Richard. “Let’s get this done and get gone. I doubt the glass can stand much more punishment.”
In total agreement, Richard rushed through the short corridor, turned the bend and halted at the birthing room door. His fearful gaze picked out the cocoon dropping from the ceiling and landing on the floor with a wet smack. It immediately started changing, morphing into some species of alien monstrosity he didn’t want to dwell on. As he slipped the bag from his shoulder, his gaze shot to the sounds of padded paws and clicking claws coming closer. The hatchlings rushed at the door.
Though his fear screamed for him not to, Richard pushed open the door and lobbed the bag of explosives inside. He pulled the door shut and watched two creatures leap onto the bag sliding across the room and then fight for dominance over the prize they believed was edible.
The remaining creatures continued their dash for the humans. Richard and Dalton made a hasty retreat as the dark creatures slammed against the door and walls. When glass smashed to the floor behind them, Dalton shot a fearful gaze at the creatures diving through the breaches in the wall.
One veered away from those heading for the already crowded hole and dashed for the humans running past outside. It leapt and reformed its head, shoulders and front limbs into a rigid pointed tusk.
“Worry about what’s in front,” Richard advised Dalton. “You don’t want to see what’s coming when there’s nothing you can do to stop them.”
Dalton heeded the advice and turned away. Glass exploded beside him. He glimpsed something dark pass before his face and yelped painfully when a large shard slid along the back of his hand deep enough to scrape across bone. The weapon slipped from his injured hand and clattered to the floor. He clasped his still functioning hand over the deep gash to try and stem the blood.
Richard halted when the wall ahead sprayed out, showering Dalton with glass. His eyes followed the evil form responsible. Turning pliable, it concertinaed into itself when it struck the opposite wall and sprung off. Reforming into a creature of viciousness it stretched claws at Dalton. Wondering what the SEALs would do without his assistance, Richard raised the rifle and fired a short burst. Though one of the bullets clipped Dalton’s ear, removing a small chunk, Richard managed to focus the unfamiliar weapon and the remainder of the bullets on the creature. Carried by the force of the bullets slamming into its body, the creature shot along the corridor. On striking the wall it liquefied into a dark, oily sludge.
Aware of the creatures rushing at them from behind, Richard shoved Dalton forward. “Move!”
Dalton moved, taking a wide berth around the reforming Black.
Richard scooped up the man’s dropped weapon as he rushed after him.
Aware only the first to reach the prey would feast on the much-needed sustenance offered by the humans, EV1L’s offspring set off after them in rapid pursuit.
CHAPTER 23
Rendezvous
Spying the elevator doors held open by Sullivan, who had his troubled gaze focused on something behind the two men sprinting towards him, Richard shot a fearful glance behind. The shrieking and snarling creatures were drawing close far too speedily to inspire any confidence they wouldn’t be upon him before he reached the relative safety of the elevator. Through the walls, he saw the previously pregnant cocoon had evolved into a beast just as terrifying as any he had encountered back on the spaceship in Antarctica. With all thoughts of collecting a sample of the alien Black now firmly banished, Richard focused on his survival. He briefly considered tripping Dalton. Feeding on him might slow the creatures down and give him the precious few seconds he needed to escape, but with Sullivan observing from the elevator it wouldn’t be a wise move. The man would probably shoot him in retaliation.
Richard decided on a different tactic. He spun as he skidded to a halt, gracelessly pointed both rifles along the corridor and pulled the triggers. Though the powerful weapons hardly had any recoil, they lurched erratically in his inexperienced hands, spitting bullets in the general direction of the creatures.
Bullets struck the walls, floor and some of the creatures as Richard roamed the weapons around the corridor. The painful shrieks emitted by those hit had the desired effect of slowing the creatures as they came to terms with the onslaught. Adapting quickly, they also changed tactics. Splitting from their previous huddled mass, creatures scampered up the walls and some chose the ceiling to continue their pursuit.
Dropping one of the weapons when it clicked on empty, Richard grabbed the still firing one with both hands and adjusted his aim, sweeping an erratic swath of bullets over the fragmented monstrosities. The creatures reacted quickly and leapt out of the bullets’ path. It was like watching some bizarre acrobatic circus act. Creatures constantly leapt from wall to wall and wall to ceiling and floor in all directions, passing each other’s foul forms in majestic flight. Though none were killed, their avoidance techniques did slow their progress. The gunfire reverberating around the level faded when the bullets ran out. Richard glanced at the large beast that smashed through the glass wall back along the corridor. Mother was coming. The large maternal creature wasn’t something he was eager to meet face-to-face.