“So now what?” Leon said.
“We get back.” Nathan nodded decisively “Before any more of those things show up.”
“How many you think are out there?” Leon said, peering into the trees.
“We saw two in the river. One in the trees,” Nathan said. “So at least three.”
“We should ask him,” Donaldson said, pointing to Hiro. “He knows some English.”
“You’re right.” Nathan turned to Hiro, and began to pantomime. “One.” He pointed to the mound of dirt that used to be the demon. “Two, three…” He pointed backwards, from where the others had come then held up three fingers. “How many?” Nathan shrugged his shoulders, turned up his palms.
Hiro looked Nathan in the eyes, nodded. “Two more yeow kwai.”
“You think he understood?” Donaldson asked.
“I don’t know,” Nathan said. “Let’s go,” he ordered. “Column formation. Deacon’s on point. Leon, you’re on rear. Keep your eye on Hiro. Donaldson, just get in line and keep your eyes open.”
In formation they marched deeper into the forest. Hiro requested a hit during the march and Nathan obliged. This time Hiro opted for injecting it then held up the needle to Nathan.
“No thanks,” Nathan said, and they continued walking.
Leon stopped. “You sure you’re takin’ us the right way?”
“Yeah,” Deacon said.
“Then why do I hear water?” Leon said.
They all stopped to listen.
“Shit,” Nathan said. “Are we back at the river?”
“Did you fuck up the navigation?” Leon shouted.
“No, this makes sense,” Deacon said. “The river bends back around on the return. We just intercepted it.”
“I don’t think that’s right,” Nathan said.
“I don’t know…” Deacon rummaged through his pocket with his free hand. “But since we’re here anyway…” He pulled a hand-held piece of electronic equipment free and retracted its antennae. A black screen in the middle of the device blinked intermittently with a red dot.
“The hell is that?” Donaldson asked.
“The tracker,” Deacon said. “He’s near.”
“Who’s near?”
“Billy.”
“Who?”
“His fuckin’ dolphin,” Leon said.
“Wait a minute,” Donaldson glared. “Wait just a goddamn minute. You didn’t drag us back here so you could look for your dolphin, did you?”
“Relax, we’re just a few degrees off course.”
“Mother fucker.”
“It’ll only take a minute,” Deacon said while orienting himself, sweeping the device left and right. “This way.”
“No way,” Donaldson said. “We aren’t goin’ back to the river now.”
“You don’t call the shots.” Deacon started towards the river.
“I agree with the jarhead,” Leon said. “We can’t fight those things in the water.”
“They’re right,” Nathan said to Deacon. “It’s too risky.”
“You said it yourself, Nathan. Rob and Billy are part of the team. And they need us.” Deacon pointed to the tracking device. “He’s close.”
“How close?” Nathan asked.
“Less than a klick.”
Nathan ran scenarios through his head; it was risky, but Deacon had a point. “All right. Let’s go.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Donaldson said.
“You don’t get an opinion,” Nathan snapped. “You practically begged to come with us. We’re doing you a favour, remember? For your brother? Now let’s move.”
They reoriented and headed back for the river.
“This is a bad idea,” Leon said.
Part of Nathan agreed, but he kept it to himself.
Deacon reached the river first. Nathan joined him, signalled all clear, and the others lined up along the bank.
“So where we looking?” Nathan asked.
“There.” Deacon motioned with his head. “About fifty meters.”
They peered through the hanging foliage. Across the flowing water, the river extended into a large cove of placid water. The bay was roughly circular, dotted here and there with large boulders that were blanketed with water moss.
“He’s in that bay?”
“Here, Billy, Billy, Billy,” Leon called out, then laughed awkwardly at his own joke.
“So what now?”
“Dolphin whistle.” Deacon pointed to a toggle-switch on the tracking device. “Emits a high frequency sound. They’re trained to come when they hear it.”
“Hold on,” Nathan said. “What if those things can hear it, too?”
Deacon shrugged. “There’s no reason to think they’re around. Besides, what other choice do we have?”
“What other choice?” Leon glared. “We could turn around and get the fuck out of here.”
They all looked to Nathan. “Okay,” he said. “Do it.”
“I got a real bad feelin’ about this,” Leon muttered.
Deacon flipped the toggle. “It’s transmitting now.”
“I don’t hear shit,” Leon said.
“You’re not supposed to. It’s inaudible high-frequency. Trust me, it’s working.”
In the bay across the river, the boulders shook, jostled in place, and something huge surged from the water. A giant centipede-like monstrosity, over a hundred meters long. It lifted itself on hundreds of legs, water pouring from between the segments of its body as it rose from the bay.
“Ngu’Tinh,” Hiro said.
The gigantic demon turned and snaked towards them through the water. Its legs were a flurry of motion pounding the water, the sound like approaching machine-gun fire.
Nathan froze as the demon charged, then instinct kicked in. “Grenades, rapid,” he shouted.
Donaldson threw a grenade; Leon blasted a steady stream with his Stoner. Nathan and Deacon fired high-explosive canisters then emptied their mags into the approaching monster. Three successive explosions rocked the river, sending up towers of water and clouds of vapour. When the mist cleared, the creature was gone, the river silent.
“Holy fuck,” Leon shouted. “What was that thing?”
“Where’d it go?” Donaldson said. “Downriver?”
“Hey, guys,” Deacon pointed to the tracking device. “Billy’s on the move.”
They watched the red blip on the screen. It moved perpendicular to them across the river, on to the land, then curved through the forest.
“It’s on land,” Deacon said.
“That’s not Billy,” Nathan said. “If one of those things ate the tracker, would it still work?”
“Yeah.” Deacon’s face fell. “It probably would.”
“Weapons ready,” Nathan ordered.
There were clicks and shuffling sounds as they reloaded. Deacon placed the tracker on the ground so he could ready his weapon.
“Where is it?” Leon said.
Deacon motioned with the barrel of his M79. “It’s closing, slowly. Thirty meters.” He read the distance from the device at his feet. “Twenty meters. Ten.” He steadied his rifle. “Wait. It stopped.”
“Where is it?” Donaldson whispered. “I don’t see it.”
“What’re we waitin’ for?” Leon growled.
“For visual.” Nathan scanned the canopy. “I think it’s in the trees.”
The squad was silent, frozen in anticipation. The thing was out there, just ten meters away. They searched, but saw nothing but forest, heard nothing but whispering wind, breeze-blown leaves. The red blip on the tracker was motionless.
Leon screamed.
Nathan swivelled in time to see Leon dragged along the forest floor by one of the mantis-things. It moved so fast it looked like they were flying, and in a split second they were two dozen paces into the brush.
Concealed by the vegetation, Nathan couldn’t see Leon, but he could hear the furious slashing of the demon. A few shots rang out, then a scream.