by Greig Beck
“A waste; a waste of everything. She dreamed of some sort of interspecies dialogue. But that isn’t going to happen with these things while they don’t see us as even something crudely intelligent.” She rubbed at her eyes with the back of a forearm. “And now, she’ll pay a terrible price.”
Carter put a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe they do see us as intelligent, and just don’t care.”
“And that just makes me hate them even more,” she said.
Mikhail rubbed a hand up through his hair that was in wild disarray. “That… large biological machine thing in the water. Did you see?”
“Yes, I did. And if it was a machine, it was one conjured in Hell. That thing was made up of the bodies of damn animals… and people,” Carter spat.
“What did you just say?” Mitch frowned.
Mikhail turned. “I think we, and the animals, are of use for more than just transportation or some sort of environmental suits. I think they use, flesh, like we use iron, and wood and plastic. We are the building blocks for their machines, their transport.”
“And their food,” Red said.
Red laughed cruelly. “Well, you can forget that take me to your leader shit. More like, take me to your larder.”
“They need to be wiped out,” Sara said evenly. “Anna said that they were just waking up, thousands of them. And they were planning on calling home so they could call for more of their kind to come here.” She turned to Carter with narrowed eyes. “It’ll be the end of all of us, and everything else.”
Mikhail walked forward toward the glass as the creatures broke through into another of the outer rooms.
“They’re in the lake, down deep and hidden. But can you imagine if they get into the ocean trenches? They’ll be beyond our reach.” Carter came and stood beside Mikhail. “We don’t have much time.”
The older scientist nodded. “Hopefully, we make it out of here so we can tell someone. Find where they are.”
“Good idea.” Carter went to his kit and rummaged for a moment. He withdrew a pistol-like gun and a black plastic box. He flipped it open and inside were three special red-tipped rounds.
“Trackers,” he said, loading all three into the breach. “I was going to use them to track the bratva’s cars or boats.” He snapped the pistol closed and looked up. “Red, Mitch, give me cover.”
“Hey,” Sara said. “What are you going to do?” She came and grabbed his arm. “You are not going back out there.”
He smiled down at her. “Only for a second. We’ve got to be able to find where these things are hiding.”
She talked through clenched teeth. “You better be goddamn back in two seconds, you big moose… Or I’m coming after you.”
He lent forward and kissed her quickly on the mouth, and then nodded to his men.
Sara put a hand to her lips, her eyes wide as she watched him go.
*****
They exited the lab, and Carter jogged out in front through the rooms with Mitch and Red just behind until they got to the final door that held the beasts from them. Carter got down low and held the pistol in two hands. He nodded.
Red gripped the door handle. “On the count of 3… 2…1…” He yanked it open.
Carter fired, aiming at three different animals—a bear, wolf, and deer, striking all three of them.
“Good hits,” Mitch yelled.
The beasts surged toward them and Carter fell back. “Close it,” he yelled and lay on the ground, kicking at the door, just as something invisible lashed in and split his body armor all down the front.
“Shit.” He rolled away, and Red and Mitch shouldered the door closed and locked it.
“Boss, you okay?” Red asked as Mitch held the door.
Carter felt his front and felt that the body armor was cut open, but there was only a graze on his flesh. “Yeah, yeah… just.” He exhaled. “If I was wearing normal clothing, I’d be in two pieces right now.”
“Two Carter Stensons?” Red grinned. “Now there’s a freaking nightmare.” He held out his hand.
Carter grabbed it and hauled himself to his feet. “Let’s get out of here.”
The three men backed into the center laboratory. Sara shook her head and grinned at him, and he gave her a small salute.
Carter turned back to the glass as Sara approached. He put an arm around her shoulders.
“What now?” she asked.
Carter snorted softly. “Got everything crossed?”
“Even my toes,” she replied.
Carter knew that all they could do now was watch the glass partitions as animals threw themselves against them. The entire building shook as an 800-pound bear hit the glass. For now, the shatterproof panes held, but they all knew they wouldn’t for much longer.
It was the silence that made Carter’s skin crawl. There were no roars, screeches, or bellows from the animals, or even cries of torment from the people in among them. And the humans had expressions as slack as sleep-walkers, and their milky eyes, gaping dry mouths, and bedraggled appearance made it all a scene straight from an asylum.
Carter felt Sara tremble beside him, and he looked down and saw that it was from fury rather than fear.
“We need to burn it all,” she whispered.
He saw that her eyes blazed with hatred. “We’re in a big barn, remember?”
“I do.” She looked back at the monstrous crowd, throwing itself at the windows and doors. “We can’t let them take us alive and end up like that.”
“No, we can’t,” Carter replied.
She was right. There was no way they could keep them all at bay, and eventually, one of the invisible creatures would get at them, and perhaps open them up right there and take control like they were shells of meat to be cloaked in.
Or maybe they’d be grabbed by one of the beasts or people, and dragged down below the freezing black water, perhaps to become another slab of material for a biological vehicle that waited there.
He reached down and kissed her and then held her face. “But before we go, we’ll damn well make sure they know pain.”
She nodded and smiled up at him. He let her go and turned. A deer rammed the glass and for the first time, a crack appeared in its length.
“Ah shit.” Carter sighed and then turned. “Armor up, everyone; this is about to get really hot.”
“Oh yeah.” Red slapped in a fresh magazine and Mitch did the same. They checked their sidearms and knives, and then stood ready. Sara also pulled her handgun from her pants and held it tight.
Nikolay had a knife and his small blowtorch, and Pavel had a scalpel in one hand and a broomstick in the other. The huge form of Yuri held his handgun in one hand, and the other grasped the tiny silver medallion around his neck as he mumbled softly.
Mikhail moved around, putting all the remaining blacklights on benchtops and walls, switching them all on. The UV illuminated their surroundings, and the glow emanated out into the ranks of the animals.
“Jesus,” Carter whispered.
In among the beasts, they saw the many-legged creatures, eyes high on the ends of stalks like some sort of crustaceans, watching the last group of humans inside.
More of the spidery things were riding on the backs of the larger animals like alien jockeys, and one was even hanging round the neck of a vacant-looking human being.
“She-iiit,” Red said. “We are totally screwed.”
Carter turned to Mikhail and sighed. “You know, Mikhail, now would be a good time for your Russian buddies to save our butts.”
“If they got our message, they will come.” He shrugged. “If they believed it.”
The final door exploded inward and the wave of horrors poured forth.
“Fire!” Carter yelled and then opened up.
CHAPTER 56
“Back to hell, motherfuckers,” Mitch yelled as he sprayed bullets into the surging creatures.
Red and Carter also fired high-powered rounds into the beasts, shredding them, and they also tried to pick
off the glowing many-legged creatures. Some they hit; most they missed. They delivered belly shots into the animals, and many fell down, returning to the dead state prior to their reanimation.
Nikolay held the burning blowtorch up, and Yuri fired his gun. Sara also fired, screaming her anger, and shots that missed exploded windows outward, which just allowed more of the beasts to pour in at them.
After a few seconds, the ex-Special Forces soldiers had to change magazines, and around them grew a wall of dead beasts.
“Above,” was all Mikhail yelled.
Carter looked up to see one of the spider-like creatures scuttling along the ceiling beams, and Nikolay extended the blowtorch flame to make it leap away.
Gradually, the group was forced backward into a tight knot of humanity. Outwardly, they bristled with guns, knives, and other sharp objects, but Carter knew that they’d exhaust their ammunition and strength soon.
His eyes slid to the huge tank of CO2 they kept for oxygenating the fish tanks. A single bullet into that while Nikolay held a burning torch and the entire mill house would go up in an engulfing ball of fire. Ending them, and ending everything.
Sara saw where he was looking and placed a hand on his arm. Her mouth was turned down but she nodded.
“I’m out.” Mitch dropped his rifle and drew his handgun. In seconds, Red did the same. The pair picked their targets now, as they ran down their ammunition.
Time was up. Carter started to bring his muzzle around toward the oxygen tank. He quickly looked at Sara who had her eyes shut.
“I love you,” he whispered, but not loud enough for her to hear. He then turned to aim his gun at the huge silver cylinder.
The explosive thump made the entire structure shake. It was followed by another and another. There were no windows to the outside where they were; only the now torn-open front doors that gave a view to the hellfire that was raining down.
The nighttime landscape outside was transformed by a furnace’s heat and brilliance, and the many-legged creatures first froze, and then as if on command all scuttled outside, followed by the zombie-like beasts.
“Thavmásios—fantastic!” Mikhail threw his arms up. “They came.”
Carter started to shake his head. “Never have I been so glad to hear the Russian military was dropping bombs on me.”
“Should we go out?” Nikolay asked.
“Not yet,” Carter said. “I’m hoping they’ll avoid the mill house and structures, but I think they’ll be targeting anything moving for now. Let them mop up first.” He walked closer to the glass. “Grab the blacklights and let’s see what’s happening.”
****
“Oh my God,” Sara breathed out as she stared out at the hellish chaos.
The ground, the air, and the sky alternated between darkness and flashes of hot red flame. Sara held up an arm as the bomb impacts shook the ground that they felt right to the bones in their bodies as they stood in the doorway.
Among the maelstrom of destruction, the monstrous animals lumbered about as if lost, and in the soft glow of the blacklights, the group could see the dozens of scuttling alien creatures.
“When there is no more room in Hell, the dead shall walk the Earth,” Carter murmured.
The snow had all been melted from the heat of the explosives, and above, dark military helicopters hovered overhead as they threw down columns of brilliant white light over the blasted landscape.
A bomb landed in the center of a group of animals, plus a human that had one of the segmented creatures curled around his neck. There was the flash of the impact that was followed by rotting limbs being spread over 100 feet of the compound. Time and again, the precision strikes targeted the beings as they tried to head back to the safety of the water.
“No,” Sara screamed. “No, no, no.”
Carter spun to where she stared. The blast smoke cleared for a moment and caught in one of the helicopter’s spotlights was a single figure with blond, matted hair and still dressed in a tattered, orange SeaWorld jacket.
“Marcus.” Carter felt light-headed from shock at seeing his brother. Or what he had become.
The ghostly figure seemed to stare for a moment, and in that single glance, Carter wondered if there was any remnant of his brother being held captive in that shell now co-opted by the alien insect thing inside him.
Sara went to sprint forward, but Carter caught her around the waist.
“It’s not him, Sara.”
The next explosion hit Marcus like a thousand fiery hammers. One second he was standing there, and the next, he had been obliterated.
Sara screamed and Carter held her tight. Above them, another helicopter flew low out over the water where the ice was broken open and rained tracer rounds down from a 50-cal rotating machinegun, probably into the biological craft that had brought the beasts to shore.
After another five minutes of bombardment, it cut off and one of the choppers circled for a moment before coming in to land. Commandos were disgorged, and Carter, Red, and Mitch faded back a few steps.
The stink of gunpowder, churned earth, and rotting meat filled the compound. Carter looked out to where he had seen his brother, but nothing remained, not even a scrap of orange material.
Thank God, he thought. His soul was now free. He looked down at Sara, who looked ill.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly.
She shook her head.
“Mikhail, you take it from here,” Carter said.
The scientist nodded and walked out with arms up, but holding a blacklight. A soldier approached, a captain, who saluted and called him by name.
Carter put his arm around Sara’s shoulders.
She looked up at him. “I want to go home.”
“So do I,” he replied. “I think Lake Baikal has given up enough of its secrets for now. Besides, I’m pretty sure they’re not going to let you stay even if you wanted to.”
“Good,” she said.
Carter watched as Mikhail talked to several Russian commandos who carried long pipe-like weapons he didn’t recognize. Two more appeared, holding huge flashlights that emitted broad blacklight beams.
Amongst the debris, there were several of the segmented aliens. Some were clearly dead but others limped or tried to scuttle away. Under Mikhail’s guidance, the commandos approached, pointed their weapons, and fired. Fine netting shot toward several and they were quickly bundled up.
Carter watched with satisfaction as a couple of the commandos carried what looked like large Perspex boxes. Mikhail peered inside and held up his blacklight, making the several many-legged creatures visible.
“Good,” Carter said. “Time for them to be the lab animals.”
CHAPTER 57
Carter stood watching the last of the helicopters disappear into the watery dawn light. A low mist hung over the mill compound that was a mix of smoke from the explosions plus steam rising from the rapidly cooling bomb craters.
Red and Mitch sat on the front deck of one of the cabins where they smoked and clinked small glasses of amber fluid. Carter watched as Mikhail wandered toward him and Sara. The Russian scientist still held a huge military radio.
“Is it over?” Sara asked.
“For now,” Mikhail said. “We still have much to do, much to learn. We need to be ready for anything, now.”
Carter looked over the compound. The grounds were bomb-scarred, the mill house was torn up, and many of the cabins had been reduced to splinters.
“Not much left. Not much to show for all the blood, sweat, dollars, and time.”
“We have our lives,” Sara said and turned to the Russian. “What about us?”
Mikhail straightened, and Carter knew that in Russia, they had a tendency to lock up their problems in an out-of-sight, out-of-mind-type strategy.
Mikhail looked about. “We had a choice; either we detain everyone here for questioning.” He turned back. “Or we buy their silence and send them home.” He smiled through his beard. “I have talked to Mosc
ow and told them how you defended Russian citizens with your lives. They are appreciative. They have decided to compensate you, but you must go home, immediately.” He nodded toward Red and Mitch. “And I think it best you take those two with you.”
“Thank God.” Sara leaned against Carter and closed her eyes for a moment.
“When?” Carter asked.
“Today. Your helicopter is already on its way,” Mikhail responded. He turned to look out over the frozen lake. “We also thank you for pinpointing where these things are hiding. Tomorrow, I fear there will be a Siberian earthquake, with its epicenter emanating from the bottom of Lake Baikal.”
“You’re going to nuke ‘em?” Carter asked.
Mikhail faced him. “Wouldn’t you?”
“In the blink of an eye,” Carter replied.
Mikhail grunted. “I know, not very science-minded of me, but I don’t believe we have anything to learn from these creatures. They are like a revolting plague that will infect everything on our planet if given the chance. So we won’t give them that chance.”
Mikhail removed one of his gloves and stuck out his hand. “Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Stenson. This Siberian incident is now over for you.”
They shook hands, and Mikhail then wandered down to the wharf to clasp hands behind his back and stare out over the frozen water.
Carter and Sara wandered over to where Yuri stood with Pavel and Nikolay. Yuri got to his feet.
“You are leaving?”
“Yes, within a few hours,” Sara responded. “Thank you all, for all you’ve done. For working hard, fighting for us, and risking everything.” She hugged each of them.
Carter shook Pavel’s hand and the small man looked up at him. “I’m glad you go home, safe. We also will leave here.” He gave him a crooked smile. “I don’t like the lake so much anymore.”
“Yuri, I want each of you to get a final bonus to compensate you for everything. If I wire the money to you, will you ensure Pavel and Nikolay get their share?”
“Thank you, and of course.” He looked at Carter from under bushy brows. “If not, you might come back and pay me visit, da?”
