Part 22 (1/2)

Yes, Hank Boyd, we are still here...and so is he.

41.

”Dammit, we need to bail and get out of here!”

Ahmed looked to the man who just spoke, watching him shake with fright. He then glanced at his remaining men, all three of them.

Twelve is now four, he thought shaking his head in disbelief. Four were severely injured by the Claymore mine and subsequently put out of their misery by his sidearm and four more by something else...something alive.

He and his team ducked around a large fallen stone tree, the biggest they'd seen so far. As of now they had outsmarted the monster that attacked them and double backed through the thickest part of the maze.

”What do you think, Viper?” Asked one of the men.

He, like the rest of his surviving men, was bleeding from various wounds suffered at the hands of the big man, Kane, and by whatever else stalked them out in the confusing tangle of petrified tree limbs.

Regardless of what had happened, Ahmed knew that going back without finis.h.i.+ng this wasn't an option. He knew Wolf would hunt them down and kill them himself. The man was a psycho.

He stood, checking his surroundings, answering in a whisper, ”We continue on as planned. And if any of you leave, I will personally put a bullet in your head. Is that clear?”

Nods all around.

”Good,” he continued. ”Now, did anyone get a look at the thing that attacked us?”

Everyone shook their head in the negative. The attack had come so quickly and so violently. Whatever it was, was truly savage in nature. The first thing Ahmed saw was a blur of motion the size of a garbage truck. The second thing was the carnage it left behind.

”Raptor, what about you?” Ahmed asked.

The man named Raptor, the one who was twitching in fear, and the man who was closest to the onslaught, turned quickly, gun raised, eyes wide in fright.

”s.h.i.+t!” Ahmed yelled, grabbing the man's gun hand. During the struggle a single round went off, harmlessly pinging off the ceiling above, barely audible. But, he knew it was enough. The side arm's discharge rang through the cavern like a bullhorn, giving away their hiding spot to their attacker.

ROAR!.

The beast had heard gunshot. It knew where they were. It could probably smell their blood anyways.

Ahmed and his team did the only thing they could do. They ran for their lives.

I wake with alarm, like the feeling of falling you sometimes get while sleeping. My labored breathing must be pretty obvious because I have twin beams of L.E.D produced light s.h.i.+ning in my face. I lift a hand to block them and through the brightness see worried looks on my friend's faces.

”I'm fine,” I say and then stand, flex and crack my lower back in a few spots. Then my neck. These stone floor naps are going to give my sciatic fits sooner or later. I rub out the tightness and flex one more time.

”So, who's Rahji-itza?” Kane asks rolling his own neck. Apparently the extra firm bedding is having an effect on him too.

All I manage to get out is a, ”Huh?”

”You were talking in your sleep, Hank,” Nicole adds, also stretching her back.

”Right...” I give them the short version of what happened and who we are dealing with. I tell of the city's beauty, the families who lived here and of our new...friends. I also relay to them that the visions I've been having are because of the priests and the fallen one, Nannot.

”So these warrior priests are the keepers and guardians of this place? Kane surmises. ”Why haven't we seen them?”

I actually never thought to ask. If they are still here, then where are they? Why have I only seen and heard from them in my dreams? What I've learned from our ancient acquaintances is that the mind is at its least defendable during sleep. The subconscious has a harder time fighting off thoughts often turning them into dreams or nightmares or at least that's what they believe.

”I'm not quite sure why they haven't shown themselves, but I'm pretty sure we are going to find out shortly.”

I get raised eyebrows from both parties.

I continue, ”The one consistent thing from the dreams is an underground cave. I have a sneaking suspicion that that's exactly where we're headed.”

”You mean another cave under that cave?” Kane asks pointing up towards the ma.s.sive cavern we were in only a short time ago.

”Probably not directly under us,” I reply. ”I don't think another cavern could survive beneath one the size we were just in. It would just collapse without the support of a solid foundation.”

I throw on my pack, shove an energy bar in my mouth and wash it down with some of my water supply. The others are already standing, waiting for me. Kane looks miserable and Nicole most likely feels the same, though she doesn't show it. Her eyes give away her exhaustion though. Not to mention the large yawn and stretch she just did, like a cat waking from a long nap.

That's when I notice her s.h.i.+rt lift, just for a second. I get a sneak peak at her mid-section, specifically the six-pack abs she carries on her strong, lean frame. My eyes must have lingered a little too long because, I get an ahem and a cough from someone.

I look up and see Kane staring at me, his eyes glancing over to his left. I take a glimpse to his left and see Nicole staring me down. I blush and try to stutter out a response. After two or three tries and just stop and turn.

”Let's go,” I squeak and start off, but no one follows. I look back and see Nicole standing there arms crossed, waiting for what I'm sure is an apology. Kane is still standing there because I'm pretty sure he's trying to stay in her good graces. Plus, I'm pretty sure he just wants to see me squirm. Jerk.

I turn fully around, take a breath and walk back over to Nicole. I get to within an arms distance of her and stop, hoping she doesn't reach out and choke me to death. But luckily, she doesn't blink or budge an inch. She just stares. I contemplate what to say and get nothing. I'm a little scared myself, primarily because I think I like her...a lot.

She's perfect. She's strong and independent, but she has a scarred past and is vulnerable. She's complex, yet simple. My thought process gets interrupted.

”See something you like?”

That's when I notice that I'm staring straight at her. Great, now I'm gonna get shot. What do I say now? The only thing I can think of.

”Yep.”

That's when the greatest thing on planet Earth happens-no check that-the greatest thing in all the known universe. The corner of her mouth turns up in an honest-to-G.o.d smile! Just a little one-basically a smirk-but it's something. As she takes a step around me, she gives my face a pat and keeps on going.

Did that just happen? Not only can this women run-and-gun with the boys-actually, she's probably better than most-but she has a sense of humor too. Oh, and I guess it doesn't hurt that she's drop-dead gorgeous and likes searching for dead people's stuff like I do. I suppose it doesn't hurt to have some things in common.

”Ok, Mr. Boyd, now what?” She asks.

I shrug, ”We still need to find Dad and Omar, and I'm pretty sure they went this way. So I say we continue on our quest.” I turn to Kane. ”Mr. Watson? Onward please.”

This gets a smile and laugh out of her. But, not out of Kane, ”I ain't your Watson, Sherlock,” he says in an annoyed tone.