Flight

by Jason Cheek

  “Let’s move people!”

  I reached the ground floor on the east side of the building without further issues. Holding the door open while CTA personnel began streaming into the parking lot, I pulled Agent Foster aside pointing at the nearby field as Detective Kurwoski stopped next to us.

  “Get your people as far away as possible. I will get those creatures to follow me as soon as everyone is clear.”

  I could tell Agent Foster had a lot more he wanted to say, but instead of giving me any more lip, he gave me a quick nod of agreement. Suddenly, one of Agent Moss’s men staggered through the open doorway covered in blood as the sounds of fighting echoed down the stairwell. I braced the man with my shoulder as he began explaining what happened.

  “They hit us on the second floor. Agent Moss and several others are down. Your ladies are holding the creatures back, but they’re going to need a miracle to break free of those things.”

  “Cindy!”

  Cindy looked up as I nodded at the Agent I was holding. Running to me, she slipped her shoulder under the man’s arm, before leading him away quickly as I ran back into the building with Detective Kurwoski and Agent Foster following close behind.

  Heading back upstairs, I saw one of the Scourge break through the women’s lines as it slammed Susan to the ground with a solid hit. Seeing her friend go down, Donna jumped to her aid only to fly back a second later as the creature’s backhand shattered her left arm. Bouncing off of the wall, she hit the ground screaming in agony.

  Even the Rök runes they were using couldn’t protect them from a direct hit!

  There was no way a human could go head to head with these powerful creatures, they just weren’t strong enough. Instead, my students were using a modified fighting technique I’d taught them to keep the Scourge at bay, which worked as long as the creatures didn’t land a solid blow against their rune armor. I saw Vanessa and Stephanie close rank as they fought valiantly to hold the rest of the Scourge at the door to the second floor, but there were simply too many of the monsters.

  Running to help Susan, I slammed my fist into the Scourge’s head, knocking it away before her Rök runes totally failed. The gray creature rolled smoothing to its feet, springing at me in one smooth motion. As its claws sliced into my chest, I flipped it over my shoulder slamming it hard into the ground. Pinning it down with my knees, its claws tore at me as I hammered its face until I crushed its head a second later. Jumping to my feet, I moved to Susan’s side checking her over quickly. She still lived, but she was torn up badly. Focusing my Will, I placed my hand on her forehead whispering softly.

  “Helbrede.”

  The golden glow of my healing spell surrounded Susan with its light as her wounds healed instantly. I saw her eyes snap opened a second later as I dragged her to her feet.

  “Susan, I need you to help Donna and fall back. Do you think you can handle that?”

  Nodding her head numbly, Susan stumbled to Donna’s side slipping her right arm under her shoulder. As the women began heading down the stairs, Agent Foster and Detective Kurwoski followed behind half carrying Agent Moss and another one of his men to safety. Ripping the emergency exit door off its hinges, I held the door in front of me like a battering ram yelling for Vanessa and Stephanie to get out of my way.

  “I’ve got this. Now get the hell out of here!”

  The door practically filled the hallway as it slammed into the bunched up Scourge. Catching them by surprise, I drove the whole group back down the hallway as their clawed feet slid uselessly on the tiled floor. Before they knew what was happening, we went over the balcony to the building’s atrium, falling in a confused screeching mass to the lobby below.

  I saw the black cloak rider leap off the top of the grongor as the heavy metal door slammed into its head, just before I landed on top of the pile of screeching Scourge. Slamming both feet into the two nearest creatures, I flipped backwards, rolling to my feet as I surveyed the ensuing chaos smugly.

  That certainly got their attention! Now, it was time to get the hell out of here while the getting was good!

  Hearing the crunch of glass next to me, I spun around just as a barbed fist slammed into the center of my chest. The next thing I knew, I was sliding off the smashed-in hood of a car in the parking lot to my hands and knees in a pool of my own blood.

  Sitting back on my thighs, I stared at the large bloody hole in the middle of my chest. The Holy Symbol of Ukko still glowed brightly from where it hung around my neck. Somehow, the pendant had deflected the worst of the blow, stopping the barbs from piercing my heart. Numbly, I focused on the three large barbs protruding out of my chest from where they had snapped off the monster’s fist when it struck me. Coughing up blood, I felt my rage begin boiling up inside of me like a terrible storm.

  “It couldn’t end here! Not like this! Not after all I’d been through!”

  It felt like everything was moving in slow motion as I looked towards the front of the CTA building, and saw the barbed horror striding across the parking lot heading straight for me. Its fang filled maw forming into a grotesque ferocious grin.

  Nothing seemed to work right as I forced my body to respond. Climbing slowly to my feet, I faced the creature as the blood poured down my chest.

  “I wouldn’t let it end like this!”

  Chapter 11

  Location Earth / Florida present day / Counter Terrorist Agency HQ:

  Detective Beth Kurwoski looked out towards the parking lot at the sound of crunching metal as a car alarm began ringing into the night. She saw Startüm slide off the crushed front-end of a smashed car. He fell to his hands and knees just as a bestial roar echoed from the destroyed entrance to the building. Looking back once more at the retreating backs of Agent Foster and the rest of the command centers staff, she turned to Susan knowing what she needed to do.

  “Go on without me! I’m going to help Startüm!”

  Taking off at a fast sprint, she headed for one of the armored SUV parked near the emergency exit, pulling out her automatic. It took three shots before she damaged the lock enough to force the door open. Putting the weapon away, she slid under the dashboard quickly ripping away the large plastic cover to the steering panel. Finding the yellow and green leads connecting to the starter, she tore the connectors loose as she sparked the wires together. A second later, the engine roared to life as she heard a loud pounding on the passenger side window. Sitting up, she popped the locks to open as Susan jumped into the passenger seat.

  “He’s going to need healing, so I’m coming with you!”

  Seeing the barbed creature already striding across the parking lot heading straight for Startüm, Beth didn’t even consider trying to talk Susan out of coming along as she slammed the door shut. After all of the male chauvinism she had to deal with over the years since joining the Force, she wasn’t about to tell Susan to stay behind where it was safe.

  “Then you’d better sit down and buckle up fast!”

  Susan eyes bulged slightly, but she didn’t say another word as Beth slammed her foot on the gas. The Ford’s twelve cylinder engine growled to life, squealing rubber as it shot across the parking lot. Aiming the SUV for the monster, Beth watched the speedometer begin to climb.

  “Twenty … thirty-five … forty-eight … sixty-two …”

  Turning the steering wheel, she lined the heavy vehicle on her target, centering the SUV on the beast. At the last second, both Startüm’s and the creature’s head whipped around in surprise as the vehicle slammed into the barbed horror at over eighty miles per hour.

  The impact shook the entire SUV as the creature’s long barbs pierced the reinforced bumper, becoming stuck in place as the monster was swiped off of its cloven hooves. Beth wasn’t sure what she’d expected to happen, but having the vicious looking brute stuck in the SUV’s grill was not one of them. In shock, she watched the monster twist itself around to face her, while its long claws tore chunks out of the hood as if it were made of tin foil. Seeing its reptilia
n eyes glare at her in rage, she slammed her foot down onto the breaks.

  The look of anger turned into instant shock as the beast shot away from the front bumper like a spiked volleyball as the tires screeched to a bone jarring stop. Beth smiled with grim satisfaction as the creature crashed into the facilities dumpster on the far end of the parking lot in an explosion of garbage. It didn’t matter how badass you were, velocity and mass trumped every time! It was just a matter of having the right tool for the right job.

  Suddenly, there was a loud rending noise as one of the dumpsters flew into the air. With a growing horror, Beth watched the monster push itself to its feet unharmed. Standing to its full height, the creature smashed the last dumpster away with its fist as she threw the SUV in reverse, slamming her foot on the gas. Her heart felt like it was beating in her throat as she met the monster’s evil red gaze from across the parking lot.

  Not taking her eyes off the creature, she skidded to a stop in front of Startüm, yelling out the window as the beast took off after them.

  “You have to get in now!”

  Staggering to his feet, Startüm quickly opened the door collapsing across the back seat just as an explosion of glass and metal shot out of from the building’s entrance. Punching the gas, Beth turned the SUV in the direction of Blue Heron Boulevard as the grongor landed right behind them in the parking lot. Immediately, the massive head focused on the vehicle speeding away. With an explosive roar the monster barreled after them like a living freight train as its oversized head entirely filling the rear view mirror.

  Gauging the distance, Beth realized there was no way they were getting out of the way in time! Taking ahold of the steering wheel with both hands, she yelled over her shoulder.

  “Hold on!”

  SMASH

  The tires squealed loudly as they skidded onto Blue Heron just as the grongor’s massive head slammed into the back of the vehicle. The rear window explosively shattering from the impact as the vehicle spun wildly out of control. Using both hands, Beth yanked hard on the steering wheel, stopping the top heavy SUV from flipping over. On the third spin she managed to regain control of the vehicle once again. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the dark gray shapes begin pouring out of the CTA building. Running on all fours, they ran behind the barbed nightmare as their screeching calls rang out into the night.

  Stomping on the gas, Beth burnt rubber heading for the I-95 on-ramp as the grongor circled around for another charge. She just had enough time to throw the SUV into a skidding slide for the northbound ramp as the monster leaped again. The vehicle flew around the corner on two wheels as the creature narrowly missed the SUV.

  Roaring in rage, the massive beast continued up the side of the overpass. In one smooth motion, it suddenly leaped into the air as it flipped around. Landing just behind them, it took up the pursuit once again. Looking in the rear view mirror, Beth swore softly as she saw the beast closing in once again.

  “Damn that thing is fast!”

  Entering the I-95, Beth’s foot never let up off the gas as she jinked around an old Buick in the slow lane, swerving just as the grongor charged again. Susan screamed shrilly next to her as the creature closed the gap with one giant leap. In horror, they heard the shriek of metal being crushed as the beast’s massive jaws chomped down the car next to them. With one jerk of its powerful neck, it flung the Buick over its shoulder into the air.

  Blood boiled in Beth’s veins as she watched the car crash behind them in a twisted pile of metal. She had given her oath to protect the people of this city! Gritting her teeth in helpless frustration, she swore to herself that she would stop these creatures if it was the last thing she did! Taking one last look at the wreckage in the rearview mirror, she fervently hoped the family had somehow managed to survive the crash.

  As the speedometer climbed over eighty miles an hour, the grongor slowly began falling behind them when Beth heard Susan’s sharp intake of breath. Tearing her eyes from the creature behind them, she followed the woman’s shocked gaze to the backseat. Her own breath caught in her throat as she saw Startüm’s grievous wounds.

  The bloody slashes covering his body were serious enough, but her eyes couldn’t look away from the white bones sticking out from the raw meaty hole oozing blood in the center of his chest. She had seen enough death during her time on the Force to know the seriousness of the injury. He needed immediate medical attention! Unbelievingly, she watched Startüm pushed himself into a sitting position on the backseat. Taking a ragged breath, he began speaking softly.

  “Susan, I need you to take these barbs out first before we can work on the wound. Can you do that for me?”

  Smiling grimly at Susan’s tight lipped nod, he continued softly.

  ”I’m not sure how much help I’m going to be with this.”

  At Startüm’s direction, Susan slid between the two front seats, bracing her feet on either side of his head as she got into position in front of him. Leaning forward, she grabbed a barb in each hand as Startüm suddenly looked away. Seeing the slight blush spreading across his cheeks, Susan shook her head in disbelief.

  “Half dead and you’re just now noticing I have breasts for the first time?”

  “It must have something to do with the position.”

  Looking down at herself, Susan gave a throaty chuckle as she speculated for a moment how it must look from his angle, before turning back to Beth.

  “Men are all the same. Half dead and still distracted by breasts.”

  A bloody coughing fit from Startüm immediately brought them all back to the business at hand as Susan took a tighter grip on the barbs sticking out of his chest.

  “On the count of three.”

  “One … two …”

  “Three!”

  Beth saw Startüm’s eyes roll back in his head as Susan pulled the barbs free. As blood began squirting all over the cabin, Susan quickly yanked out the last barb. Watching in the rear view mirror, Beth saw Susan place both of her hands over the gaping holes in the center of his chest. Suddenly, she felt the familiar flow of energy from earlier that evening during the advanced healing class. It wasn’t the surge of energy that she’d felt Startüm using. Instead, it was a steady stream of healing energy pouring out next to her. A minute later, Susan collapsed into the seat next to her, laying her head against the window. Worried, Beth helped the older woman swing her legs around as she gulped air into her lungs.

  “I did it!” Susan whispered softly before fainting in exhaustion.

  Looking into the backseat, Beth saw what the older woman meant. The bloody hole in Startüm’s chest was now almost fully healed. She almost lost control over the SUV when his yellow eyes suddenly popped open meeting her gaze.

  “Detective, can you drive us back to my place? I need to get my weapons and armor if we are going to have any chance of destroying those creatures.”

  Seeing that she was approaching the Palm Beach Garden’s exit, Beth swerved onto the off-ramp heading east. She could use US1 to loop back for his place. Looking into the rearview mirror, she glared at Startüm.

  “Men, always thinking you can do more than you can. Look at yourself! You can barely sit up. How the hell do you think you’re going to fight those things in your current condition?”

  “I’ll be strong enough if you can get me something to eat. I need food, preferably meat!”

  She was about to lay into him about how macho dumb that was, when she saw a flash of golden light and felt a surge of energy behind her as his wounds disappear before her very eyes. Forcing herself to calm down, she suddenly understood what he meant remembering her own weakness after the little bit of healing she’d done earlier that evening, and the talk about food after class.

  Angling the rearview mirror, she saw their pursuers following several blocks behind when she saw a Burger Shack coming up on the right side of the road. Quickly making her decision, she pulled into the parking lot in front of the fast food joint.

  Slamming the SUV to a s
top, she ran through the front doors of the fast food joint waving her badge at the teenager behind the register feeling like an idiot.

  “Police Business!”

  Throwing a fifty on the counter, she grabbed an extra large bag before scooping up all of the food sitting under the heating lamps. She could already picture the media’s reaction to the video footage as the reporters questioned what fast food had to do with a Police Emergency as she ran for the SUV, when Startüm began honking the horn furiously. Jumping behind the wheel, she slammed her foot on the gas just as the grongor crashed through the McDonald’s lobby a second later. Speeding across the parking lot, she jumped the SUV over the sidewalk onto US1.

  At first they barely managed to stay ahead of the monster, but slowly the SUV began pulling away as they picked up speed, when suddenly Beth’s cell phone started to ring. Tossing the bag of food at Startüm, she answered the call.

  “Kurwoski here!”

  “Beth, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Chief.”

  “What the hell is going on? I just pulled up to the CTA’s building, and it looks like a war zone. There are dead agents everywhere! What the hell happened here?”

  “I’m aware of the situation, Sir. The suspects responsible are currently chasing after me now.”

  “What’s your location?”

  “I just turned onto US1 from Palm Beach Garden’s Boulevard heading south bound.”

  “Do you think you can make it back to the CTA headquarters?”

  “I believe so, Sir.”

  “Good, the SWAT and APC teams should be arriving any minute.”

  “Sir, only deploy the SWAT if they have AP rounds. Even then, they might still be wiped out like the CTA agents were.”

  “What can you tell me about the suspects and their hardware, Detective?”

  “Chief, did you see the recent Channel 29 broadcast on the late news?”