“Where are they?!” Averillo yelled out when she lost sight of them.
“Me without my popcorn.” Preston said. Like the others, he was excited to be watching the show.
“There!” Halsey said when he saw them. He saw one of them hit a tree so hard that it look like a truck hitting it. Halsey then mouthed the words, ‘Holy shit.’
Everyone then ran to where Halsey saw them fighting and then they lost sight of them. They then tried to find them by listening to the sounds of them fighting. It never dawned on them that what they are doing is extremely stupid, they just wanted to watch the show.
“What the fuck are you idiots doing?! Get out of here!” Ghost Killer said after he’d got up to rejoin the fight. He was thrown and almost killed a couple of them.
“After all that work we put in, in creating them?” Carlson said after Ghost Killer left.
Although Preston was starting to think that maybe Ghost Killer was right, he just couldn’t help but to continue to video tape the whole thing with his cellphone. (They were too far away to make any calls.) Besides it is just way too entertaining. Perhaps Preston should have known better because at one point Night Stalker, upon seeing them through the trees, called them a ‘Bunch of goddamn idiots.’ If she can see them. . . so can someone else. And it didn’t take him that long to see them.
“Holy shit man! They’ve been going at for seven and a half hours!” Merritt said when he noticed the time on his cellphone.
Five minutes later, the obvious happened. Dos Double X came flying out of the woods and struck a tree. After he got up Halsey said, “No fucking way!” Everybody was video taping him as he came, picked up Vanasse and threw her so hard against a tree that it killed her. (Gwynn, when he saw that said, “Holy shit, did you guys see that? That was some wicked shit.”) Before he could come after the others (who was still video taping it) he was tackled by Ghost Killer. Night Stalker came and yelled at them for being so stupid and started to demand that they leave. Preston finally got the point when Dos Double X kicked Ghost Killer into Night Stalker and she landed on Cottrell. Before they could react, Dos Double X jumped onto Night Stalker killing Cottrell.
“She’s right! Let’s get out of here. . . now!” Preston yelled at everyone.
“What about the cellphones?!” Coville yelled back.
“Go get ‘em!” Preston yelled back.
“You got to be shitting me?! You idiots!” Night Stalker yelled out in frustration.
While Private First Class Gwynn was trying to get Cottrell’s cellphone Dos Double X killed him by taking his head off. After he did that both Ghost Killer and Night Stalker tackled him. Carlson was able to get Cottrell and Gwynn’s cellphone before it was too late. He then stood there video taping the fight until Night Stalker yelled at him to leave. It was their life’s work that was at risk of being lost.
“As you can plainly see. . .” Carlson was recording himself saying into his cellphone. “. . .their adrenaline glands, which are quite advanced, may be working in overdrive. . . but it can handled the workload. Judging by what I have seen here today. . . I can say that they should be able to fight for at least 24-to-30 hours straight. It is indeed quite fascinating to see them in action.”
After Carlson finished downloading the video that both Cottrell and Gwynn made into his cellphone, Carlson threw their cellphones down. Never mind about any family photos, messages, or the like that either one of them may have had (Gwynn had pictures of his little girl and his wife on his cellphone.) on their cellphone, Carlson didn’t consider them important. He was just doing his job.
Dos Double X fought both Ghost Killer and Night Stalker eighteen hours and thirty-three minutes before he finally saw an opportunity. While they were fighting near a steep embankment he threw Night Stalker at Ghost Killer and both of them went over the edge. Dos Double X stood at the edge while he saw both of them tumbling down the steep embankment. He was in a great deal of pain. He had tinnitus in his right ear, blind in his right eye, his skull was cracked both above and below his right eye, and all the molars in the right side of his mandible was gone, or knocked lose. Despite all of his injuries, like a typical Efiáltis, he will pursue his game till the end of the universe.
“Get back up here! So I can finish the job!” Dos Double X yelled down the embankment. He knew that both of them were still alive even though he can’t see them. He then turn to pursue the other game. His most favorite game of them all.
It would take quite some time before anyone would learn the fate of both Ghost Killer and Night Stalker. The two of them found an abandoned church and rather it was divine providence or their own choosing, they both decided to die there. Their injuries was just too much to bear. Neither one of them was ever downloaded with the fighting skills that was downloaded into a typical Efiáltis. What they were was a control couple for the eggheads who created them. Their deaths, like the deaths of those who created them, had no meaning to the other eggheads.
Preston and company managed to make it to the next moderate size city before Dos Double X realized where they went. Preston decided to cut across a large field to get to that city, while Dos Double X thought that they went to the next abandon small town. Although the city that Preston went to was large enough to hold 20,000 people, no more than 1,000 lived there. Preston knew there had to be a police station with weapons that they could use (and perhaps some cops as well). But Preston also knew that Dos Double X would have known the same thing.
When they got to the city Preston had no other choice but to go to the hospital because of his injured foot. He divided what remained of his company in two: Corporal Halsey, Coville and Carlson will go to the police station; and Sergeant Merritt, Averillo and Cronin will search for food and water. (The food, water and medicine that they got earlier wasn’t anywhere near enough of what they needed.) Preston knew that they were on borrow time that none of them could afford. But without food, water, shelter and weapons they are as good as dead. He could do the only sensible thing that he could do and he truly hated making the decision. They must wait a few days so that, not only could his foot heal, but also, no matter how remote the chance may be, either Ghost Killer and/or Night Stalker would meet up with them and Dos Double X would be killed. But as the time wore on he knew that it was unlikely.
Nobody liked Preston’s plan, but they knew he was right and so they said nothing. Sergeant Merritt and company had greater success in their search than Corporal Halsey in his. (Without anybody knowing it, Dos Double X arrived in the city when both teams got back.) The next couple of days was very tense as they search for weapons and occasionally ran across the locals who told them that they saw a Efiáltis matching Dos Double X description. Everything changed on the third day while Merritt and company was searching for food.
“Where in the hell is Averillo?” Sergeant Merritt asked Cronin.
“I think she went inside that building.” Cronin responded pointing to an abandoned skyscraper.
Merritt, who had the only handgun with one clip, led the way inside the building. Four hours later, they found the body of Averillo who was obviously killed by Dos Double X. As Sergeant Merritt turned to run, Cronin went to search Averillo’s body for her cellphone. When Sergeant Merritt saw what Cronin was doing he yelled at him to come on, he then went over to collect Cronin. Before he got there Dos Double X rushed their position. Sergeant Merritt got off several rounds (all of them found their mark) before he was attacked by Dos Double X. Cronin then turned and ran for his dear life. As luck would have it, he managed to give Dos Double X the slip and made it back to base three hours later.
“Where is Sergeant Merritt and Averillo?” Preston asked Cronin when he got back.
“Dead.” Cronin responded out of breath.
“Tomorrow morning we have no other choice but to go look for more weapons. After that. . . we are out of here.” Preston mentioned to their relief.
At 07:04 they left and headed to where one of the locals said that there was a wea
pons cache. While they were driving there they realized that Dos Double X was following them in a truck. After they gave him the slip (and knowing that they don’t have much time) they arrived at the large house where the weapon cache is said to be.
“Finally, some good fucking news!” Corporal Halsey said when he found the weapons cache.
“Everybody! Grab a weapon and take up a defensive position!” Preston ordered them.
Two hours later Dos Double X found them. As he was running trying to flank them, Cronin shot him twice, one was a nick and the other got him in his left kidney. He then disappeared around the corner of the house. Carlson then ran to a window where both Corporal Halsey and Coville was at and then he started to shoot at what he thought was Dos Double X.
“Would you stop wasting ammo you dumb-ass!” Halsey said to Carlson threw his teeth.
“I got to go.” Coville mentioned. She had to go urinate badly.
“What?!” Carlson asked her.
“You know. . . I have to go pee.”
“Do it in your damn pants.” Halsey snapped back at her.
“I’m not doing it in my pants!” Coville snapped back at him. She then got up to go to the bathroom that was nearby.
“Dumb-ass bitch!” Halsey remarked.
“Somebody go with her!” Preston called out.
“I’m not letting anybody watch me pee!” Coville snapped back.
“Fine! Fire a shot if you see him!” Preston yelled at her.
“Goddamn civilians!” Halsey said quite annoyed.
“I heard that.” Preston said in agreement. Two minutes later they heard the shot and heard her scream bloody murder.
“Let’s ditch the bitch!” Halsey yelled out.
“You heard the man!” Preston yelled out. The four of them then got up to run outside. They all ran to the truck that Dos Double X came in since it was closer.
Preston was the first to get around the truck. He then aimed his rifle over the hood of the truck and when he saw Dos Double X come out he yelled out duck causing them to dive to the ground. Preston shot Dos Double X at the same time Dos Double X shot at him. Lucky for Preston he was quicker on trigger and his shot caused Dos Double X to miss him. (The shot nicked the windshield of the truck.)
“Get in the truck. . . now!” Preston yelled at them. Preston shot Dos Double X three times before he ran out of ammo. He then yelled out that he was out.
“Die you ugly freak!” Halsey yelled out as he turned over on his back and started to shoot at Dos Double X. Although Carlson and Cronin got up to get into the truck, Dos Double X was able to shoot Cronin through the liver.
“Go on. . . get out of here!” Halsey yelled at them while he and Dos Double X was shooting at each other. Preston wasted no time in leaving.
Preston knew that he was in a precarious situation and there was very little that he could do about it. Dos Double X was still alive, Cronin was dying, and worse yet, there was only one handgun with one spare clip and one rifle with three rounds left. In short, eighteen rounds to kill something in which multiple rounds could not bring him down. Cronin mentioned in the truck that Dos Double X had to be dying (he was right), but neither Preston nor Carlson believed him. Preston wasted no time in getting to their destination.
Although their destination was the same security station in the old regional capital that Task Force ZH-3C was at earlier, and the quickest way to get there is by the monorail, Preston knew that there was a secret tunnel that led to the security station. He also knew that taking the tunnel was the longest route to the weapons storage, but it was also the most safest to the transmitter in case Dos Double X cannot be stop. God. . . he hopes that Cronin is right about that damn monster. If not than how will he be able to kill him.
Five miles before they got to the tunnel they heard a helicopter and they knew who it was. Dos Double X came near enough to them so that they could see him flipping them off. He then flew the helicopter and landed it at the opening of the tunnel, got out with a rifle that he’d got from the security station and waited for them. Preston slammed on the brakes when he saw where the monster landed the helicopter. Cronin laughed out of frustration.
“Get out.” Cronin said in a weak dying voice. Both did without hesitation.
Cronin drove as fast as he could at the helicopter while trying his best not to be shot. Although he was shot, Dos Double X was shot three times by Preston who was providing covering fire. Cronin knew that the helicopter will not explode when he hits it, and so did Dos Double X. But what the monster did not know was that Cronin had an explosive that Carlson created and no one had the opportunity to use it. Despite the explosion, Preston had his handgun pointed to where he saw Dos Double X jumped to.
“Here, take this. Take this.” Carlson said to Preston trying to hand him the cellphone with all the collected data and videos on it.
“Now is not the time.” Preston said through his teeth.
“But. . .” Carlson was saying.
“Shut up!” Preston snapped back. He heard the sound of someone trying to pull back the hammer on a rifle but couldn’t
When they got to the helicopter (and trying to find a way around it while it was still on fire) Dos Double X attacked them. Preston got off three shots, saw the ugly beast stumbled (a sign that he was dying), and watched him attacked Carlson. As luck would have it, Dos Double X didn’t have the rifle and he lost his left arm below the elbow in the explosion. Preston was able to shoot the ugly beast four times before his gun was knocked out of his hands. As Dos Double X was coming after Preston, Carlson, with the last bit of his strength, grabbed the monster’s left leg and held on with all his might. Dos Double X then picked up Carlson and threw him against the wrecked helicopter. Carlson, on fire, then ran after Dos Double X who then put him out of his misery.
When Preston saw the beast picked up Carlson he ran to get his gun. He then ran at an opening that he saw between the helicopter and the opening of the tunnel. He had to crawl on his back as he tried to go under the tail section of the helicopter. After Dos Double X killed Carlson he started to look for Preston. Preston didn’t shoot him as he saw the beast come after him. Instead he waited for Dos Double X to try and grab his foot before he shot him in his right eye. (Preston didn’t know that he was blind in that eye, nor could he tell.)
As soon as Preston was clear of the tail section he got up to run. Dos Double X grabbed the burning tail section, screamed in pain, moved it out of his way, and started to come after Preston who turned to face the beast. Preston shot Dos Double X until he had to reload his last clip. Although some of the shots missed, a few found their mark in the torso of the beast. Preston then reloaded his gun, turned to run, got several yards, turned again and emptied the gun into Dos Double X with half the shots missing their target. Out of frustration, Preston threw the gun at the beast who caught the gun and threw it back after Preston turned to run. The gun hit Preston in the back of the head hard enough to knock him to the floor.
When Preston got up to run, Dos Double X caught up to him and was only close enough to backhand him and knocked him to the floor. The beast then came down to attack Preston who rolled out of the way before the beast was on top of him. As Preston was getting up to run, the monster claw his right tendon causing Preston to fall back down. He then rolled over as Dos Double X grabbed his foot and dragged him back to him. Preston then took out a knife and cut off two of the monster’s fingers as the beast was bringing his hand down to finish the job. Preston then used the knife to cut the beast’s throat, but it was not that deep. Preston then turned to the beast’s left side, took the knife and stabbed the beast in the left thigh. Preston then broke the handle off leaving the blade in the monster’s thigh, and then he started to crawl away. As Preston was crawling away Dos Double X reached back to pull the knife out. He then screamed in rage when he realized the handle was broken off. The beast then reached for Preston, but he was already out of range. The two then started to crawl down the tunnel as fast as t
hey could.
What slow Dos Double X down was that twice he puke up blood. When Preston heard it the first time, he laughed. He stopped when Dos Double X screamed at the top of his lungs. It was so loud that Preston had to cover his ears. As soon as Preston got to the end of the tunnel he quickly got up and put in the access codes. Before the door closed, Preston disable the door panel. He then flipped off Dos Double X after the beast managed to get up and saw the door close on him. Preston then headed to the only place that offer him the best chance to end it once and for all.
Preston could hear the ugly beast trying to get through the locked door. He knew that he didn’t have much time. Using the wall for balance, he hopped to the chemical laboratory to grab a bottle of acid. He then headed to sickbay, sat down on the floor with a medikit on his lap, hid the bottle behind his back, and waited for Dos Double X to come. He didn’t have long to wait.
When Dos Double X got into sickbay, Preston had the medikit opened and started to act like he was treating his wounds. The ugly beast then quickly crawled over to Preston and when he was close enough, Preston threw the acid into the monster’s face. The monster screamed in pain, punched Preston in the left chest and then bit Preston in his left side. As Dos Double X was reaching to grab Preston’s throat, Preston took out a medical knife from the medikit and cut the beast’s wrist. He then had to cut off the beast’s thumb off in order to free himself. Preston then started to frantically cut Dos Double X throat while the beast was eating Preston’s left side. After Dos Double X died, Preston fainted from the pain and loss of blood.
When Preston woke up he realized that he was dying and does not have much long to live. As he stood up to send the distress call his kidney fell out. He lived long enough to tell Rymer how important his cellphone is. Rymer then headed there as fast as he could. On the way back he reviewed the Intel on Preston’s cellphone.
(4)
“Sir this is 1st Lieutenant Rymer.”
“Go ahead.” Captain Maxwell responded from Dark Phoenix.
2288: The Skotadian Experiment Page 33
