The Awakening
Page 29
Jasonwatchedhelplesslyasthecreaturewrappedhisarmaroundher,
shielding himself with her body and tugging at her hair. She looked back at Jason.
“Doit,”shedemanded.“Melthim.Blowhimaway.”
“I can’t,” Jason answered, his eyes darting back and forth from Eve to the Interloper.“IfImelthim,Imeltyou.”
“Doitanyway.”
“I’ll hurtyou.”
“Doitanyway.”
“Iwillnotkillher—notyet.”Thecreaturesmiled,strokingEve’schinwitha
singletalon.“Faironneedsheralive.”
Abruptly,theInterloperpoundedEve’sskullintothewall,knockingher
unconscious. As he let her body collapse to the floor, Jason barreled toward himandswungathisface,beatinghimwithhisbloodiedfistsandtopplingthe
alienface-firsttotheground.Poweredbyaggression,Jasonpouncedatopthe
Interloper’sback,butthecreaturequicklyexpandedhiswingsandsentJason
flyingacrosstheroom.
Thealienjumpedtohisfeet,crackingthefloorboardswithhisjagged
talons,butbeforehecouldmakeanothermove,PercyandSanchohurtled
towardhimandforcedhimtotheground.Thetwoboysfannedacrosshis
flailingbody,eachsecuringawingtothefloorwiththeirweight,thoughthey
knewtheycouldonlyholdhimforamoment.
Justasthewingsbegantoslipfromtheirgrasp,Jasonleaptontothe
Interloperandshovedhimagainstthefloor,pinninghiswrithingbodywithhis
legsandclaspinghishandsaroundthealien’sneck.Hesqueezedthecreature’s
throat until his fingernails dug into the grey flesh, creating moon-shaped puncturesthatoozedyellowpus.Jason’sveinsbulgedfromhisarmsasaraw
hatredpulsedthroughhim,andwitheachmovementtheInterlopermade,Jason
tightenedhisgripevenmore.TheInterlopergasped,chokingonnothingasall
threeboysheldhisgauntbodytotheground.
Finally,thethrashingstopped;thealienwentlimp,andhiswingsslapped
againstthefloorwithtwoloudthuds.
Jasongavethecreature’sneckonelast,firmsqueezebeforedroppingitto
thefloor.Hetookastepback,hisbreathinglaborious.Thebodywasstill,its
lips slightly parted, its eyes empty. Percy and Sancho got to their feet and stareddownatthebodyinsilence.
Suddenly,asifawakenedfromatrance,JasonturnedtoEve,whoremained
onthefloorinthecorneroftheroomwheretheInterloperhadlefther.
“Eve! ”hegasped.Hegrabbedhershouldersandshookherfrantically.
Hereyesopened—justbarely.Hervisionwashazy,andahorribleache
pulsatedbehindhertemple.Sheglancedathersurroundings—atJasonsitting
beforeher,atPercyandSanchostandingbyhisside,atthepiecesofplywood
anddrywallthatlitteredthefloor,atthegapingholesinthewallsandceiling.
Shecradledherheadinherhands,stillstrugglingtofocus,andsuddenlyher
eyes widened. She looked at Jason, through Jason, and in an instant she was awake.
“Eve, please,saysomething.”
“Duck,”sheanswered.
“What?”
“DUCK!”
BehindJasonstoodtheInterloper,hisgutdrippingwithpusandhisbody
fueledwithanewfoundstrength.JustasJasondroppedtotheground,the crowbarexplodedfromthefloorandshotthroughtheairlikeamissile.Itwas
aimedtokill—Evemadesureofit,asshecouldn’triskfailure,notnow.Inthe
blinkofaneye,thetoolhurtledstraightforitstarget,piercingthealienright betweentheeyesandlodgingitselfdeepwithinhisskull.Theroomquakedas
thecreaturefelltothegroundwithaloudboom,thesoundofdefeat—ofdeath.
Thefoursomehoveredoverthebody,staringinshockatthealien,atthehole
inhisstomachandthecrowbarjuttingfromhisface.Evegrabbedthetool
andrippeditfromtheInterloper’shead.
“Whatareyoudoing?”Jasonasked.
Withouthesitating,Eveslammedthecrowbarbackintothecreature’sface,
creatingasecond,thoughequallyvile,gushinghole.
“I’mmakingsurethelittleshitis deadthistime.”
“That was NOT a little shit,” Sancho asserted. “That was an ALIEN. A giant, ugly,ALIEN.”
“Youinvitedhimhere,”Percysnapped.“Brilliantidea,bytheway.”
“Shutup,bothofyou,”Jasonordered.“We’reallright—that’swhat
matters.”
“Ican’tbelieveit,”Sanchomuttered.“AnInterloper.We killedanInterloper.
Andwhatyoudid,Eve,”hestammered,staringatherwithawestruckeyes,
“sendinghimflyinglikethat—God,you’relikeasuperhero!”
Evedidn’trespond;hereyeswerestillfixedontheInterloper’slifelessbody.
Jasontriedtosteerherawayfromthecorpse,butsheremainedrootedto thespot,completelyunwillingtoleavethecreature’sside.
“Eve,”Jasonbegan,“areyouokay?”
“Ijust…”shestuttered,stillstaringattheremains.“Ijustcan’tgetoverit.”
“Getoverwhat?”
Thewordsweresohardtoutter,andyetshecouldn’tstopherself.Nothing
couldhavepreparedherforthis—itwasworsethanshehadeverimagined,
eveninherdarkestnightmares.
“Interlopers,”shemumbled,finallylookingbackatJason.“They’re
people.”
CHAPTER9:THELIST
“Thanksforhelpingusoutonsuchshortnotice,”Evecooed,giving
Armaan’sshoulderacomfortingsqueeze.Shecouldfeelhimshakingand
wonderedifhewasfrightenedorexcited.
“Areyoukiddingme?”Armaanchirpedbeneathhissurgicalmask.“Thisis
huge—biggerthanhuge,actually.Thisis monumental.”
Sanchoglancednervouslybackandforthacrosstheroom.“Areyousurewe
shouldstillbehere?”
“Thealien’sdead,Sanch.God,ofallpeople,you’dthinktheguywhobuilds
pipebombswouldhavealittlebackbone.”
“Itwasn’tapipebomb, Percy,itwasahighlysophisticated—”
“WEKNOW.”
“Willyoubothbequiet?”Jasonhissed.“Armaanistryingtoconcentrate.”
Thefivebodieshoveredaroundthemakeshiftoperatingtable—alineof
desks,stolenfromanearbyclassroomandpushedtogetherinthecenterofthe
room.Theentirespacewasashambles,asthewallswerelitteredwithgaping
holes,andscrapsofplywoodwerestrewnacrossthefloor.Armaanpaidno
mind to the destruction and fiddled anxiously with his tools: a few shoddy instruments from a pilfered fetal pig dissection kit. The air stank of seething adrenalineandrottingflesh—thefleshofthedeadInterloperthatlayon
Armaan’stable.
PercyelbowedEveintheribs.“Whoisthisguy,again?”
“He’smyfriend,”sheanswered,tryingherbesttobreathethroughher
mouth.“Heknowswhathe’sdoing.He’samedicalstudent.”
“Actually,I’mnot,”Armaanmuttered.
“What?Whathappenedtoyourinterview?”
“Theyrejectedme.SomeguynamedLionelVandeveldgotthespot.”
“LionelVandeveld?”Evescowled.“Whothehellisthat?”
Armaanshrugged.“Hisparentsarefriendswithoneofthedeans.Inever
stoodachance.”
Evesighed.“That’snotfair.”
“Whatever.Ibet Lionelisn’tdissectinganalienrightnow.”Armaansmirked.
“Youwinsome,youlosesome.”
“Allright,canourmadscientistexplainwhatwe’relookingat?”Percycut in,gaggingatthehorriblestench.“BecauseallIseearesoggyalienparts.”
Armaangazedupatthefoursome,hiseyeswideandeager.“Itsfascinating,
really.Imean,therearesimilaritiestohumans,definitely,butthey’reso…
different.”
Evestrainedherneckoverthebody.“Canyoutellusanythingimportant?
Anythingofvalue?”
“Imostcertainlycan.Atleast,Ithinkso.Probably.”
“Lovingtheconfidence,Armaan.”
ArmaanignoredPercy’sretort.“Let’sstartwiththesecondskin,”hebegan,
pointing to a tray filled with leftover, slimy flesh. “It’s a liquid coating that hardenstoformtheappearanceofthehumanepidermis.It’snothingmorethan
adisguise,really—averyconvincingdisguise.Ithinktheycancontrolit—
though how, I’m not sure.” He spun his gloved finger in the mixture. “The craziestpartiswhatthefluiddoes.Whenapplied,itcanreshapethe
Interloper’sbody.Basically,itactsaskindofashrink-wrap.Whatevershape
theInterloperwantstotake,thisstuffwilldoit.”
“So,whatyou’resayingis,anyonecouldbeanInterloper?”Eveasked.
“Yeah.Prettymuch.”
Theroombecameoddlystill.Eve’seyeswanderedtoJason,whowas
staringatthedeadbody,hisfacetwistedwithdisgust.
Sancholookedbackandforthathisfriends.“Whatifsomeoneinthisroom
isanInterloper?”hewhispered.
“Oh,forGod’ssake,noonehereisanalien,”Percygroaned.
“Thatsoundslikesomethinganalienwouldsay…”
“Okay,let’scuttothechase,”Eveinterrupted.“Howdowekillthese
things?”
“A great question. But in order to answer it, you first need to know what doesn’t kill them.” Armaan plunged his hands deep into the creature’s abdomen, stirring up new, foul aromas. “This is where you initially stabbed him, right in the stomach—or, at least, where one would assume the stomach would be.” He pulled apart the grey flaps of flesh, revealing a pit filled with pulpyfilm.
Evewrinkledherbrow.“There’snothingthere.Well,nothingbut…mush.”
“Exactly—theydon’thavestomachs.Theirdigestivetractisuphere.”He
pulledatalongpinktubethatranfromtheneckthroughtheabdomen.“This
tube—itlooksmorelikeafiltrationsystemthananythingelse.”Withascalpel,
heslicedasmalltearalongsideit,sendingathick,reddish-brownliquid
pouringintohiscuppedhand.“Seethisstuff?It’smostlyblood.Chimera
blood.”
“Jesus,”Jasonmuttered.
“Holyballs,”Sanchogasped.“They’re vampires.”
Percyrolledhiseyes.“Don’tbeadick-squeeze.Vampiresaren’treal.They
onlyexistinteenageromancenovels.”
“Oh,soyou’retellingme aliensexist,but vampiresaretoofarfetched?”
“They’renotvampires,”Armaancorrected.“Theyjustcan’tdigestsolid foods. They feed off of liquids. They drink whatever they can get, whatever is…drinkable.”
“Chimerablood,”Jasongrowled.“Thatexplainswhytheonewhocutme
openwaslickinghisclaws.”Heturnedaway,cursingunderhisbreath.
“Wait,”Eveinterjected.“Iftheycan’teatsolidfood,thenwhydotheyhave
—”
“Teeth?”Armaansmiled.“Iwaswonderingthesamething.”Hepartedthe
Interloper’slips,exposingcountlessfangs.“Theseteethlookmorelike
bayonetsthananythingelse.They’renotdesignedforchewing—they’re
weapons.Look.”Heyankedatatooth,breakingitoffattherootandrevealing
asilverbudgrowingbeneathit.“There’sanotherfangreadytotakeitsplace.It looksliketheyshedtheirteethaseasilyasanimalsshedfur.It’sanever-ending supplyofweaponry.”
“Butwhywouldtheyneedsuchheavy-dutyhardwareintheirmouths,ofall
places?Forcombat?Forintimidation?”
“That, andprotection.”Armaangrinned.“Thisisthebestpart.”
HetuggedattheInterloper’sjawandshinedasmallflashlightdownits
throat.Apalepinkpouchprotrudedfromthebackwallofthecreature’smouth,
directlyabovetheesophagus.Thefleshysackwascoveredinhundredsoftiny
tubules,eachonebranchingacrossthemouthandthroatlikeaspider’sweb.
“You’relookingatkillzonenumberone:anInterloperheart.”
“That’s aheart?”Jasonasked.
“Well,maybenotaheartperse—aheartistheclosesthumanequivalentIcan
thinkof.Butit’sthecentralhubintheiranatomy—theirlifesource,ifyou
will.Thosetubesbranchacrosstheirentirebody,stretchingtoeverylimband
everyorgan,likeveinsorarteries.”Armaanmadeatinyincisioninthecenter
of the sack, and a stream of yellow fluid oozed from the cut. “Interloper blood,”hesaid.
“God,thesmell,”Percygagged.
“So,letmegetthisstraight,”Sanchosaid.“You’retellingusthatthisthing’s
heartisinits mouth?”
“Well,thebackofthethroatifyouwanttobeprecise,but,yes,basically.”
Armaancasuallyclosedthecreature’smouth.“Ifyouthinkaboutit,itactually
makessense.Theteethactasashield—justasourribsencloseourheart,their
teethprotecttheirlifesource.Thegoodnewsis,theheartisfragile,soyoucan probablykilltheseguyswithonelaceration.Thebadnewsis,youhaveaforest
offangstofightthroughfirst,asJasonhasalreadydiscovered.”
EvelookeddownatJason’statteredhand—itwasbandagedinthicksurgical
clothandspottedwithpatchesofblood.
“Isthereanyotherway?”sheasked.“Imean,nottobepessimistic,but
there’sahellofalotofteethtododge.”
“Thatbringsmetokillzonenumbertwo:thebrain.”Armaanfumbledwith
the Interloper ’s head, pulling the skin back to reveal a thick, black skull that wascrackeddownthecenter.Hedelicatelyremovedthepiecesofboneand
pulledoutasmallgreysphere;itwasspongyandlight,coveredindimplesand
craters,anditfiteasilyinhishand.
Evestudiedthebrain,curiously.“It’sso…small,”shemumbled.
“Sizedoesn’tmatter,”saidArmaan.
“That’snotwhatI’vebeentold,”Percysmirked.
Armaanspunthesphereinhishands.“There’sreallynowayformeto
analyzethis.Therearetoomanydifferences.Imean,thesizeisdifferent,the
color,thetexture,nottomentionthehemispheres:wehavetwo,theyonlyhave
one.”
“Whichhemispherehousesallofthecrazy?Becausethat’stheonethe
Interlopersgotstuckwith,”Percyquipped,chucklingathisownjoke.
“What I can tell you is that perforating its brain will kill it. And I know that, becausethat’show thisonedied.”Heturnedthebrainaround,exposingapitin thespongywall.“See?Ahole,rightthroughthecenterofthebrain.”
“That’sagoodthing,righ
t?”Eveasked.“Stabthebrain.Soundseasy
enough.”
“Yeah,well,it’snot.”Armaanploppedthebrainbackintoitscavityand
pulledoutalargeslabofbone.“Theproblemisgettingthroughtheskull.This
stuffispracticallyimpenetrable.Itcouldbeaweaponallonitsown.”
“Butit’sinpiecesrightnow.Thatmeanssomethingbrokeit,”Sanchoadded.
“Yeah, and I still can’t figure that one out.” Armaan fitted the bone slabs togetherlikepiecesofapuzzle.“Hisskull—andbrain—wasperforatedbythis
crowbar.”Heheldupthetool,examiningitasifitweremorealientohimthan
the specimen on his table. “This shouldn’t have done the trick—not unless some epic force was used, or it was moving really, really fast. I’m talking lightningspeed.”
Jason,Sancho,andPercyturnedtolookatEve;shewastheonewhohad
maneuveredtherod.ShewastheonewhohadkilledtheInterloper.
“Well,ImelteditasfastasIcould,”sheexplained.SheturnedtoJason.
“Therewasn’talotoftime.Hewasrightbehindyou.”
SancholookedbackatArmaan,hiseyesbulgingexcitedly.“Youshould’ve
seenit.Itwaslikearocket,”hegushed.“Sodynamic.”
“Well,you’dbetterhopethateverysingleblowisrocket-fueled,because
that’s the only way you’re getting past this bone.” He folded the Interloper ’s skin back over its skull and reopened its chest. “Which brings us to the final killzone:thespine.”
Armaanwadedthroughthecreature’schestwithhishands,pushingclumps
ofpulptothesidesandrevealingalong,angularstructure:blackandglossy,
crookedlikethetrunkofanoldtree.Skinny,twistedbonesjuttedoutfromit,
reachinguptheneckanddowntotheabdomenlikeknottedbranches.
“That’sonegnarlyspine,”Percymumbled.“Guymust’vehadscoliosis.”
“Itdoesn’tlooklikeours,butitappearstoservethesamepurpose.It’sjust
asthickandsturdyastheskull,andequallyhardtopenetrate,but—”
“Breakit,”Eveinterrupted,hereyesstillfixedonthespiderybranches.