Charmichael swallowed hard and gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Major…you look like…”
“Shit?” Mark asked.
“No. Urban camo. Grey camo. You could like totally disappear at night.” He pointed to his hands and Mark lifted them to his eyes.
“Huh, that’s new.”
“More tangos!” Hammer’s voice echoed through the earpieces.
“Son of a…”
*****
Jameson’s phone rang just as he reentered his office. He sighed heavily and tossed his overcoat aside. Reaching for the phone, he noted that it was Robert’s number and rolled his eyes. Would the man ever learn?
“Yes, Robert, what is it now?”
“Check your video feeds now! Somebody attacked them!”
Jameson punched the button to put the call on speaker and sat behind his desk. He entered the security code to unlock his computer and pulled up the video feeds that had Ingram so excited.
“What is it I’m looking for?”
“Roll it back to about twenty minutes ago. Oh, my God…there are more coming after them now.”
“So they’re still under attack? Interesting…” Jameson scrolled the time back and watched as military personnel spread out and advanced on the hangar. “Why are base personnel attacking them, Robert? What did you do?”
“Nothing, I swear! Whoever this is, it has nothing to do with us!”
Jameson watched as both sides exchanged fire. The hunters stepped out and shot down some of the Air Force personnel then the personnel got back up and fired back. At least they were smart enough to wear body armor.
He scrolled through a few more exchanges then something caught his eye and he scrolled back through. “Robert, go to time stamp 1348. Who…or what is that?”
“The black individual that attacks them by himself? I don’t know, but if you play it back slowly, you’ll see that he’s shot at least four times. And…zoom in at 1354. I swear that looks like the bullet is being pushed out of his back. There’s hardly any blood and no wounds.”
Jameson sat back and studied the fuzzy image before him. “What is this thing, Robert?”
“Beats me. We have nothing on it from our intel.”
Jameson rubbed at his chin as he stared at the image. “Another hired gun to assist with…something?”
“Look at his clothing. He’s wearing one of their uniforms.” Ingram’s voice dropped and became solemn, “I think…I think maybe he’s one of them, sir.”
“Is this what they’re capable of?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Ingram cleared his throat and Jameson heard the phone shift. “If they all have this healing ability and ferocity, perhaps we should…rethink our plan.”
Jameson slowed the video and watched as the dark figure bounced from soldier to soldier, slashing and tearing, rending heads from bodies with ease. “Perhaps you’re right, Robert. Let’s continue to observe these…things before we make a final decision.”
21
Mitchell stopped pacing and spun on the intruder who opened the door of the OPCOM. His jaw went slack when he saw Laura step inside and he felt as if his prodigal child had returned to him. She shut the door silently and turned to greet him. “Laura Youngblood reporting for duty, sir. Well, if you’ll still have me.” She gave him a mock salute.
Colonel Mitchell threw decorum out the window and pulled her into a quick bear hug. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I missed ya, lady.”
“Good to see you too, sir.” Laura cast a quick glance around the operations center and nodded toward the screens. “May I ask what’s happening?”
“We think it’s a wendigo. The team has gone underground and we’ve lost communications with them.”
Laura glanced at the other screens and pointed to the video feed from the drone. “You have a drone in the air?”
“Of course.”
“Then why not shoot an MI Probe into the ground and bounce your RF feed from that?”
Mitchell looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head. “Do what?”
Laura turned to the communications technician. “Does that drone have an MI probe on it?”
“I…I don’t know what an MI probe is, ma’am.”
“A magneto-inductive probe. They used to call it a ‘rock phone’ when it was being developed.” She slid over the rail and stared at the controls on his screen. “What’s that icon on your screen?”
“I…I don’t…” The tech slid aside and let her at his controls.
“The magneto-inductive probe is fired into the ground and basically uses the soil, rock or vegetation that it’s in as a conductive coil to transmit RF signals back and forth from their radios to the drone.” She looked to the drone operator and hooked her chin toward the screen. “Find us a clearing close to where the squad is operating.”
“Approaching target area, ma’am.”
She lined up the target area and loosed the probe. “And there you have it. Give it a go, Colonel.”
Mitchell shook his head. “What did I ever do without you?” He suddenly soured and glared at his communications tech. “And you obviously need proper training.” He reached for the button on his command chair to open the coms when the alarm claxon sounded.
He looked to Laura with surprise. “Find out what’s going on. I have to stay on this.”
“Roger that, sir.” She jumped back over the rail and ran out the door.
*****
Jack stood in the stairwell and watched as the last of the battle topside took place. With no weapons, he felt there was little he could do. From his vantage point, he couldn’t readily see who dared to attack the squads on their home turf, but he knew that whoever it was had surprised enough people that there were casualties.
He trotted to the east door just as Dom broke away and started running through the hangar. “What’s going on?”
“A bunch of Air Force regulars and Security Forces went batshit crazy and opened fire on us.”
“Why?” Jack stood back, his mind reeling.
“No fucking clue!” Dom stopped at the gear table and pulled his pack from the wall. “Hammer says the second wave is on their way. These fuckers don’t go down easy, man. I guess they’re making these Air Force guys tougher than they used to.”
Jack stepped closer and grabbed Dom’s arm. “What do you mean, they don’t go down easy?”
“Like zombie tough. Guts hanging out and they just keep comin’ at ya. Like that fuckin’ pink rabbit with the drum, man.”
Jack stepped back and turned toward the stairwell. He looked to Kalen and Gnat who stood near the opening. He was certain…some of Lilith’s demon army survived their attack and they were here now. Coming for their queen.
He turned and ran for the stairwell. “Kill her now! Do it! Do it now!”
Kalen’s face registered his confusion, but he didn’t get the opportunity to question his leader. An explosion rocked the inside of the hangar, a deafening crash sending Jack tumbling with a cloud of debris and dirt.
He and Gnat fell backward and down the stairwell, tumbling hard on the concrete steps to the first landing. Kalen felt himself being pushed to the side, and Gnat emerged from under him, his leather helmet askew. “What was that?”
“An explosion.” Kalen pulled himself to his feet and began climbing back up the steps. “We must help Chief Jack.”
“He told us to kill her.” Gnat pulled at Kalen’s leg, trying to stop him.
“He might be hurt.” Kalen glanced down the stairwell toward their lair. “I am sure the others can keep her still until we ensure he is safe.”
He stepped back out into the hangar and saw the other human hunters at each large doorway, shooting out toward groups of people. Kalen ducked low and ran from obstacle to obstacle looking for where Jack may have landed.
Gnat waved his arms from close to the back wall. “Here!”
Kalen looked and saw Jack’s boots lying next to where Gnat stood and ran to hi
s side. Blood was smeared across his face, but he still breathed. He reached down and lifted the larger man, sliding him across his lean shoulders. “Go, Gnat!”
The pair ran for the stairwell and Kalen had to turn sideways to keep from beating Jack’s already bloody head against the concrete walls.
As they reached the first landing and were clear of the fighting, he slowed a bit and felt the adrenaline start to leave him. Suddenly Jack became much heavier. Gnat pushed open the door to the lower level conference room and Kalen stepped inside. Everyone had questions but he had no answers.
*****
Mark paused at the east door and looked around for a better weapon. He couldn’t effectively grip a rifle and with his talons at full extension, he wasn’t sure he could grip a blade. Maybe a large pipe?
“Major, they said they’re attacking the north entrance again.” Chad McKenzie slammed another magazine home and racked a round. “You sticking around here with us or going to help Dom?”
Mark growled low without thinking about it. “I think it’s time to finish this.” He tried to smile, but it looked eerily like a snarl.
Chad gave him a nervous smile in return and watched as the man took off along the outside of the hangar again. He ran wide and flanked the attackers this time, approaching from their rear. He tore into their ranks with renewed vigor, shredding and rending body parts from torsos, leaving a bloody trail as he went.
Without thinking about what he was doing, he ripped the arm from one rather large Security Forces member and used it as a meaty club against the others. Dom and Hammer advanced out the door, cutting down those in the front who didn’t realize their compatriots in the rear were being removed from the fight.
Dom and Hammer both slowed their fight as they noticed what they weren’t sure they had seen before. A bright yellow light flashed from each of the attackers just before they fell to the ground, dead.
“Something is definitely not right here.” Dom shouldered his weapon and stared outward toward the horizon.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were body hopping. What the hell can do that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, bud.”
Mark tossed the arm aside and wiped his bloody hands off on what was left of his uniform shirt. “They stink of sulfur.”
“Sulfur?” Dom repeated. “Fuck me.”
Hammer groaned, “Demons.”
*****
Kalen wiped gently at Jack’s forehead with a rag as the others argued.
“We should assist in the battle,” Azrael insisted.
“No!” Allister stomped his clawed foot. “I can smell them from here. It is her demon army. We must destroy her now!”
Gnat stood next to Brooke’s still form, his hammer at the ready. “We’ll not do a thing until the elf is ready.”
“Who gave him say over when and how things are done?” Foster screeched. “If those are her demons up there, they won’t stop until they have her!”
Kalen dropped the rag and stood, his shoulders squared. “She is my lover. I will decide.”
The Nephilim stepped forward and handed Kalen his blade. “The time is nigh, Woodlander. Do what must be done.”
Kalen stared at the blade in his hand and it suddenly felt heavy in his hand. The steel much colder than he had ever remembered. He stood beside Brooke and stroked her hair once more.
Jack lifted his head and had to blink rapidly to focus on the group. “You must. People are dying up there,” his voice dry and raspy.
Kalen turned and stared at him for just a moment, his breath catching as he realized that the man was awake. He nodded slowly and pulled the knife from the sheath.
He stood over Brooke’s still form and unzipped the top of her leather blouse. He remembered kissing her between those breasts as he pressed the point of the steel blade to her flesh.
Brooke suddenly opened her eyes and gasped, “Please don’t, Kalen. I love you so much.”
Kalen pulled the blade back and stared into her eyes. “You’re not her…not anymore.”
“I’m still me. I’m still in here. She’s letting me talk to you right now. There is a way to get her out and let me live, Kalen. She knows how.”
Kalen shook his head. “No, you’re trying to trick me.”
“Do it, Woodlander,” he Nephilim stepped closer, his voice low and urging.
“Please, Kalen, don’t do this. I want so much to be with you…” Brooke’s voice trailed off and he saw the tears running down the sides of her face. His hand shook as he lifted the blade again.
“I must, my love. I have no other choice.”
He pressed the blade to her chest once more then turned his eyes to hers, expecting her face to contort to anger or hatred. What he saw surprised him.
He saw love.
“I’ll always love you, Kalen.” She swallowed hard and nodded to him. “Do it. If there’s an ‘other side’ for vampires, I’ll wait for you there.”
Kalen’s hands shook as he leaned down and kissed her one last time. “I love you, Brooke.”
“I love y—”
*****
Bigby watched as his team of Roman Centurions advanced, got cut down and then recycled to fresh bodies. Oh, how he envied them and their ability to simply jump into a new body when they had ruined the one they were in.
As they pressed closer and closer to the hangar, he finally got his brave on and slipped between the numerous cars parked in the lot. He slid along the gravel and eventually made his way to the side of the building. He watched as the Romans wearing American GI meat suits shot their way closer and he inched toward the main door. He pulled a grenade from his belt and hefted it in his hand. One of his Roman soldiers had already tossed a grenade in earlier, but it only caused a short lull in the fighting. He intended to bounce this one right inside the door and cut down as many of the men holding their positions as possible.
He put the pin in his teeth and was about to jerk the pin out when he noticed that his Roman compatriots suddenly left the battle, their meat suits flashing a bright yellow light. Those who were wounded fell to the ground in pain. The mortally wounded died instantly and those yet untouched collapsed in shock.
Bigby stared at the grenade in his hand and debated making his move anyway when he was unceremoniously lifted from the ground and thrown toward the open door. He bounced hard on his shoulder and came up empty handed. The grenade rolled to the side, the pin still in place.
He slapped the rifle barrel away from the closest hunter and broke the man’s nose with a right hook then spun him around and used him as a human shield against the others.
Reaching down to his thigh, he pulled his knife, held it to Ben Charmichael’s throat, and pulled the man backward as he walked deeper into the hangar. “I want Mitchell! Get me Mitchell or I cut his fooking throat!”
The other man at the door kept his rifle trained on the pair and Bigby nearly shit himself when he saw what it was that had actually thrown him. He had never laid eyes on a monster like this one before. Grey mottled skin, talons at the end of its hands, hair covering most of its face, it reminded him somewhat of the original wolfman from the old black and white movies. Well, except for the white muzzle.
Bigby continued walking backward, dragging Ben with him, the knife against his throat as he worked his way to the back corner and the elevators. “Get me Mitchell, dammit!”
If he couldn’t kill all of the American hunters, he could at least cut the head off the snake. It also brought him a certain bit of satisfaction that Walter Simmons would be made to suffer when his rich bitch daughter dropped dead alongside her mate. He actually smiled as he reached behind him and pressed wildly for the elevator button.
“Nobody tries to follow us, you got it? Tell Mitchell that we’re taking this all the way down and he’s to meet us there. Just him. If I see anybody else, I kill this man on the spot! You hear me?”
The door began to open and sounded with a ding. Bigby barely glanced
behind him before backing into the open lift. He stepped into the elevator as a pair of hands reached out and gripped his head, twisting quickly, snapping his neck.
He slumped to the ground with Ben holding the arm with the knife away from his neck. He stepped back from the body and turned around. He gave Jennifer a lopsided grin and a nod. “I guess I owe you one, ma’am.”
“Nope. I owed him one for killing Mick.” She kicked Bigby in the kidneys before stepping over his body and out of the elevator. “May he rot in hell for all the pain he’s caused.”
*****
Spalding’s coms came to life in his ear and he pressed a finger to his earbud. “Come in, Delta One. This is OPCOM calling Delta Actual, do you read, over?”
“Read you loud and clear, OPCOM.”
The relief in Colonel Mitchell’s voice was apparent as he came back across the radio. “Thank God. Sitrep, Actual.”
Spanky paused and took a deep breath. “Two tangos neutralized, OPCOM. We lost Delta Five.”
“Say again, Actual. Has Five still not been located?”
“Negative, Colonel. Gus Tracy was lost in action, sir. We’re bringing him home.” Spanky paused a moment then added, “Request clean up teams. Doc’s gonna want to look at these tangos.”
There was a long pause before OPCOM responded. “Roger that, Actual. Clean up teams are dispatched to your location.” The channel stayed open a moment longer and Spalding waited…he knew the colonel wanted to say something more, but what can you say? Every man goes into this job knowing that each day could be his last and praying that it isn’t.
Sullivan and Donovan carried Gus Tracy’s body out in the body bag that each man carried in his pack. Lamb and Jacobs lead the way to the trap door near the clearing and helped lift Gus out and placed him in the clearing.
Sullivan disarmed the tripwire trap before the clean up teams arrived and Delta Team sat quietly in the clearing waiting for the helicopters to break the silence.
Donovan was the first to speak. “Do you think there could be more of them?”
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