Flight

by Jason Cheek

  In Werewolf form, Grandsire stood ten feet tall and five feet wide at the broadest point of his shoulders. His black coat, now streaked with the silvery gray of old age, shimmered in the moonlight. I watched mutely as his head swung from right to left scanning the night warily as his large clawed hands hung ready at his sides. At that second, he looked truly magnificent, except for the blood pouring out of the large gaping hole in the center of his chest. His black lips curled back from his white fangs as his deep rumbling growl reverberated through the camera’s mike.

  Suddenly, five dark forms sprang at him from the two halves of the van. Grandsire’s arms moved in a blur as his razor sharp claws slashing blindingly fast through the gray vile bodies. A second later, the five gray creatures lay dead on the ground in bloody pieces. The brutal fight occurring too quickly for the camera to capture.

  A third explosion rang out into the night as another part of the second story wall of my apartment blasted out in a cloud of dust and debris. Suddenly, a humongous creature with blood red scales and black tiger stripes landed in front of the camera man. Standing on oversized cloven hooves, the reptile looking creature was noticeably larger than Grandsire with foot long barbs sticking out all over its body.

  Swiveling around the creature focused on Grandsire, immediately lunging after him at an incredible speed as its claws lashed out in a blur. Somehow, Grandsire managed to avoid the lightning fast blows, but even the near misses were devastating as the monster’s barbs tore deep furrows through his arms and chest. Ignoring the pain, Grandsire slashed again and again carving large chunks of flesh out of the wicked monster’s hide with no apparent effect. Before long Grandsire’s forearms were shredded into bloody ribbons from the creature’s barbs, but still he attacked relentlessly.

  Suddenly, one of the monster’s fist hooked Grandsire’s shoulder, before he could dodge out of the way. It was on him in a flash as it brutally slammed him to the ground. The camera caught every gory detail as the creature’s massive fists began pummeling Grandsire’s body as bloody chunks of Werewolf splattered out with every hit.

  I felt my vision blur as the camera man swung away from the scene. He was running once again as screams erupted all around him. The gurgling cry of the reporter was suddenly cut off just as the camera fell to the ground. A second later, a man’s blood splattered face landed in front of the camera as one of the gray monsters began ripping him apart. The last sounds heard were the dying man’s screams before the signal was suddenly cut off in a burst of static. A second later, the news feed switched back to the news room’s main studio, and the shocked face of local news anchor, Becky White. Ghost white, she began stuttering into the studio cameras.

  “That was Lisa Summers reporting on the scene live. We will have further updates as soon as.” Stopping for a moment with a look of horror on her face, she spoke in a sudden rush of words, “as soon as we can get another reporter on the scene. For now, we will take a look at the local weather with Frank Williams.” The camera quickly switched to a map of the state of Florida.

  “Tomorrow will be another cloudless day with the high in the …” The rest of the words faded away into the background as I choked back my grief.

  Grandsire’s howl had said it all.

  “Sir, they’re all dead.” Cindy’s raw voice broke the silence, and for some reason the words seemed to kick start my brain back into gear once more. Locking my pain away behind a closed door in my mind, I watched Agent Foster step behind Cindy’s chair as they began working on the satellite feed, while the rest of us watched the action on display two overhead.

  “Can you get a fix on that location?”

  The loud clack clack clack of the keyboard seemed to echo in the quiet room as Cindy began tapping commands into her terminal furiously.

  “Harry, I can’t seem to get anything on infrared, can you switch the satellite’s feed to visual?”

  “I’m on it.”

  I watched as a satellite view similar to that of Google Maps showing my place suddenly appeared on the screen. Slowly Cindy began panning around the area.

  “I don’t see anything moving in the target area now.”

  Frowning thoughtfully, I moved behind Cindy and Agent Foster.

  “Try looking directly North from my building on I-95.”

  At Agent Foster’s nod of approval, Cindy began panning the satellite North up I-95. A moment later her voice called out excitedly.

  “I think we have them!”

  Suddenly the image steadied, and we were looking at a top down view of a group of sixteen creatures with one riding something large as a Greyhound bus. The bus sized creature looked like a crossbreed between the biggest crocodile you’d ever seen and a giant mutant spider. I heard a gasp of shock from the CTA personnel as the creature blew through an oncoming Semi, not fast enough to get out of its way, without stopping.

  I could hear Harry’s awed whisper from where I stood.

  “It must be running at over sixty miles per hour non-stop!”

  The creatures suddenly went off-road shortly after passing the Hope Sound off-ramp. It headed into the swamp without slowing down as Agent Foster slammed his fist on the table in frustration. “Do we have any idea where they’re going?”

  Cindy was already calling up a directory of everything in the area when I answered his question.

  “I imagine they’re headed for Tapper Nelson’s place.”

  “Why would they want to go all the way out there?” Cindy snapped at me confused. “It doesn’t make any sense. There’s nothing out there.”

  “They’re heading there because it’s the closest ‘focal point’ of elder arcane energies in the area for them to use as a gateway between worlds.”

  I felt the tension slam back into place as all of the eyes in the Command Center immediately turned to me, once again looking at me like I was crazy. Sighing, I tried to explain.

  “Look, there’s only two main Ley Lines that cross over the state of Florida, and only two focal points for elder arcane energies on this coast. To escape, they would have to be heading towards Trapper Nelson’s or the Coral Castle. The Coral Castle is too far south, and, either way, they’re heading north. The only place they would be going is Trapper Nelson’s.”

  Angrily, Agent Foster turned on me. “Too far away from what?”

  “From my Grandsire and I.”

  Backing away from me fearfully, Agent Foster started yelling as the assault team leveled their rifles at me once again.

  “What the hell are you?”

  “It’s a ‘smoke and burn’!” Detective Kurwoski exclaimed in sudden comprehension cutting off Agent Foster.

  Nodding my head in agreement, I began explaining. “My father’s people and my parents were murdered when I was only eight years old. Grandsire rescued me from certain death hoping that he could hide me in your world, until I could grow strong enough to return to ours to stop the evil that is slowly destroying it.”

  Looking at Agent Foster, I could smell the stench of fear radiating from him. “I am half Klavikian and half Werewolf.”

  Seeing the terrified looks on the faces of the Command Center’s staff, I could understand their reaction to me. From what I understood of human culture, Werewolves were one of their race's most terrifying legends, and that monster had just been beaten to a bloody pulp by an even worse horror. Now, one of those nightmarish creatures was standing in the same room with them, and they didn't know how to react.

  Oblivious, Detective Kurwoski continued with her train of thought. “If that is a ‘smoke and burn’, then why are they heading back towards the gateway without coming after you?”

  Understanding her train of thought, I began heading for the exit, only to have the assault team point their weapons at me blocking my way. Annoyed, I looked over my shoulder.

  “Agent Foster, tell your men to stand down before I have to hurt someone. You know Detective Kurwoski just asked the right question. There must be another strike group out there com
ing after me.” Turning around, I looked him in the eyes. “If I return now to my own world, they will be forced to chase after me leaving Earth alone.”

  “Great, so they leave us alone for now, but what do we do when they come back? They know where we are and that we can’t hurt them.”

  “Why do you think I’ve been teaching Ukko classes to humans ever since I’ve been in your world? If you want to protect Earth and give your people a chance to defend themselves, then study my teachings of Ukko.”

  Normally, I kept an iron fist on the Werewolf part of me, because I was afraid of losing control of the savage beast always fighting to get out. But now, turning around to face the assault team blocking my way, I felt my eyes beginning to glow yellow as I let the Werewolf inside of me rise to the surface.

  “STEP ASIDE NOW!”

  I could smell the fear and confusion coming from the men as they suddenly staggered backwards, opening a path before me. The team leader was the last to move as he fought against the force of my Will. Sweat beaded on the poor agent’s face as he struggled against the command in my voice. With a look of horror, he started backing away with the rest of his men as he looked back and forth between Agent Foster and me.

  Even though Werewolves are naturally aggressive creatures, there are only a few that are strong enough to be Alpha Males, or Werewolves with dominate enough personalities that allow them to rise to leadership positions within a Pack full of predators. Like anything else, some Alpha Males were stronger than others, but in my case the Alpha side of my Werewolf was overwhelming in its nature. Meaning that, when I exerted my Will it had somewhat of a psychic impact on others. I didn’t understand exactly why it happened the way it did, but I knew it had something to do with the aspect of my Werewolf’s inherent power. Many of the problems Grandsire and I experienced, while I was growing up, had been due to the fact that we were two Alpha Males living under the same roof. As Pack Leader, he should have easily dominated our relationship without question, but my inner Werewolf overwhelmed even him. Amazingly enough, we hadn’t fought each other to the death. Even though I longed to understand what was happening, unfortunately, it was one of those taboo subjects of my Mother’s people that I could never discuss openly with my Grandsire. Yet somehow, over the years, we learned to make it work.

  I watched as Agent Moss slowly backed up confused as his rational mind struggling at being dismissed so casually by someone with five assault rifles pointed at their face. Although, after watching Agent Thompson’s assault team get wiped out, logically he knew there was nothing he could do to stop me. Before Agent Foster could try counteracting my orders, the entire building suddenly shook from a massive impact. A split second later, alarms began blaring as the staccato cracks of assault rifles rang out from somewhere below.

  Quickly tapping out commands on her keyboard, Cindy called up the cameras covering the entrance to the first floor of the building as she pushed the output to display one. The cameras came online as another massive crocodile spider like creature filled up most of the camera’s view covering the foyer. It was simply ignoring the automatic gunfire coming from the agents guarding the entrance to the building. From the camera’s angle, I could see the black robe figure, riding on the creature’s back, yelling commands at the gray nightmarish shapes that were rushing into the building.

  Now that I could see the creatures clearly, my heart sank as I recognized them for what they were, Scourge. As I watched, the creatures slammed into the defenders like a gray wave, ripping the agents apart in a matter of seconds with their claws and fangs. My heart began beating in my chest as the last creature entered into the camera’s pickup. It was another one of those humungous nightmares covered in barbs that had murdered my Grandsire.

  It was too late, the Tuonellians had come, and I didn’t have any of my weapons or armor to fight them!

  The command center staff froze in terror as the creatures began heading further into the building slaughtering the CTA’s personnel as they searched for their prey. Crossing back to Agent Foster, I grabbed him by the front of his suit lifting him into the air screaming.

  “Where are my students?”

  The man gasped in a rush of words. “They’re upstairs in Interrogation Room three.”

  Dropping Agent Foster back to the ground, I turned to the assault team leader. “Agent Moss, have your men release my students, and bring anyone else from upstairs.” Not even bothering to consult Agent Foster first for approval, he began giving orders to his men as he rushed up the stairs.

  “Agent Foster, we need to get your people out of the building immediately. What’s the best way to accomplish the task?”

  Seeing her boss’s blank look, Cindy spoke up quickly.

  “Sir, we can use the fire escape routes. Our fire evacuation plan has all the floors using the stairwells on either side of the building.” Following Cindy’s logic he quickly agreed.

  “Do it! Cindy, once you’ve finished that, give the Miami Office a quick rundown of the situation here, and have them takeover coordination for this emergency. Harry, I want your section to send all of our systems active files to the Miami Servers, and then initiate a Case Omega breach.”

  Speaking quietly, I quickly explained my plan to Agent Foster as Detective Kurwoski silently listened in.

  When I finished, Agent Foster turned to his people screaming over the sound of the fire alarm. “People, you have thirty seconds to begin lining up at the Emergency Exit on the East Wing.”

  The camera view on Display one switched to a split view of each floor’s main hallway. Already, the Scourge were slaughtering the personnel on the second floor, but the people on the third floor were already exiting the building using the west stairwells unmolested. At least some of the men and women would make it out alive.

  “Startüm, you're okay!”

  Looking up, I saw Susan following Agent Moss down the stairs with the rest of my advanced class behind her.

  “What’s happening? Why have they arrested us?”

  “Ladies there is no time to explain everything, the Tuonellian have come and are slaughtering the agents below as we speak. The plan has us exiting as a group down the emergency stairwell with me leading in the next fifteen seconds.”

  The ladies looked at one another in consternation, but not panic. As a group, they turned to Susan giving her a quick nod.

  “We are ready. Where do you want us Hon?”

  “Susan, I want you to take Deanna, Vanessa, Stephanie and protect the rear. Everyone else, find a battle buddy, and stay spaced out among the CTA personnel as we head down. Remember to conserve your energy in-between fights”

  It was easy to forget to trigger off the Rök runes in-between combat in the heat of battle, and waste needed energy. Seeing Cindy and Harry run up with their teams following behind Agent Foster. I faced everyone projecting my voice. “We will be heading down the stairwell together in a moment. If we are attacked, do not stop or you will die. My students will do their best to protect you.” Looking at Agent Moss and his team I continued. “Do not try to assist them, or you’ll only get yourself killed.”

  I could see the confusion in the assault team’s faces. How where these little women, without any weapons, going to protect them against an enemy that couldn’t be hurt by their assault rifles? Turning around, I didn’t give them time to argue as I moved out.

  Opening the door, I hit the first stairwell as a group of four Scourge were headed up to the fourth floor. Focusing my Will, I triggered my Rök runes as I leaped into the air. The leading Scourge looked up just as my flying drop kick slammed into the center of its face. With a loud crack, the leader flew back into the other three Scourge behind it, knocking them down the stairs in a screeching pile of arms and legs. Pulling my arm back, I jumped down the last flight of stairs power driving my fist into the first Scourge’s chest as it screeched in pain. My next hit slammed into the head of the next gray creature as it tried to disentangle itself from the squirming pile. Slammin
g a knee in the first Scourge’s head, I left a large dent in its bony carapace protecting its skull as I elbowed the third trying to push itself up to its hands and knees. Stomping down with my foot, I crushed the arm of another Scourge as the first creature suddenly rammed me back against the flight of stairs slashing savagely with its sharp claws.

  The Rök runes held, deflecting the majority of the vicious attack, but my chest still burned like fire as the claws tore open my skin. Slamming my fist into the same spot on the side of its head, I felt the bone weakened under my assault. My next hit smashed through the skull, killing the Scourge as another set of claws raked at my back. Kicking backwards, my foot blasted the creature from my back into the other Scourge, knocking the entire group to the ground once again. Quicker than I would have thought possible, the creature sprang to its feet lunging at me once again. Deflecting its slashing claws with my forearms, I captured its arm in an elbow lock. Instead of stopping at the point of pain, I yanked the elbow down with all of my strength, shattering the joint. Twisting around, I clothesline the Scourge with my forearm slamming it to the ground. Leaping on top of the creature, I began hamming my fist into its gray forehead again and again. The armored bone of its skull shattered after my third strike, killing it instantly.

  Throwing the body away, I stomped a clawed hand as one of the surviving Scourge tried to push itself up. A part of my mind registered the sound of shattering bones as I slammed my knee once again into the second creature’s head. The last Scourge’s razor sharp claws began slashing my leg open as I crushed its head with my next blow. Capturing the claws raking my leg, I broke the wrist before breaking the creature’s elbow with my foot. Enraged the last Scourge sank its yellow fangs into my thigh as I hammered at its face. My fourth strike shattered the creature’s skull like a ripe melon as the force of the blow ripped a bloody chunk of flesh out of my leg. Kicking the corpse away, I called out over my shoulder as I began taking the stairs two at a time.