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“Sounds good to me," Laurie replied enthusiastically. "I was hoping to become a helicopter pilot in the city for the Warden Unit, but everything's changed now."
“Who wants a helicopter when you've got the open road in front of you?” I joked, though a helicopter sounded pretty damn epic. We didn’t have things like that functioning out here anymore.
The sound of Coal’s voice raised in warning echoed across the room from somewhere within the maze of consoles and I stilled. I knew my brother's voice better than anything and he sounded worried. Really fucking worried. Which wasn’t like him at all.
I turned my head back and forth to check either end of the passage we were standing in, hunting for him as my grip tightened on the hilt of my machete.
“Fuck,” I breathed. Every instinct in my body was urging me to go to him, but I couldn’t leave until this upload was complete or this entire mission would have been for nothing.
39.
Laurie noticed the change in my stance and reached for her pistols but I shook my head and indicated the knives on her belt instead.
She quickly drew two blades, holding them ready as her jaw set with determination.
34.
“Run, Maya!” Coal yelled and my heart leapt in panic. Coal didn’t run from anything. Which meant that whatever the hell he’d found was bad. Really bad. And there was only one thing up here that that could be.
Double fuck.
My machete was out and at the ready in a heartbeat and I swung it back and forth before me, loosening my muscles as I prepared for a fight. There were movements in the shadows at either end of the row we stood in and a lick of fear danced along my spine.
I glanced at the device. If we abandoned it before it connected, the whole mission would be a waste. It didn’t need much longer. But it felt like an eternity.
29.
Something approached from the darkness, obscuring the flashing LEDs as it moved along the row we occupied.
Laurie held her knives like a pro, her Warden training taking over as she showed no signs of fear. My lip curl back as the shadow drew ever closer. I held my machete to one side and took a step forward.
21.
As I closed the distance between me and the shadow, the Creeper came into focus and I drew in a sharp breath.
I knew I should have attacked instantly but I hesitated. It looked young, like a child and the lingering signs of humanity in it made me pause.
He glared at me with hate filled eyes and something dark dribbled down its chin. It's scrawny body was ghostly pale, the skin almost seeming transparent in places. There was something so much worse about it being young. I hated the resemblance of humanity and for the longest moment, I struggled with the idea of killing it.
I may have hesitated, but the Creeper didn't. He jumped forwards with an inhuman screech, his hands curled into claws which were aimed straight at my face.
My heart leapt as my moment of indecision evaporated. These things may have looked human but they weren’t and it wouldn’t think twice about killing me if it could.
I ducked and twisted aside, swinging the machete in an arc behind me as I moved. The blade swept across his abdomen and the creature howled in rage and pain before I could finish the job with a second stroke of my weapon.
17.
More Creepers descend on us, drawn by the noise and I swung around, ready to fight them back as we waited on the damn device to finish its download.
Laurie broke into action, throwing her knives with practiced skill. She took out two of the approaching Creepers in quick succession and a ferocious look spread across her face.
Her eyes were still a little wide but she was a Warden first and foremost. She knew how to act under pressure and shock or fear weren’t going to ruffle her.
Three more Creepers ran for us with cries of rage and I strode to meet them, a fierce smile pulling at my mouth as I slipped into the flow of the battle.
The Creepers were grotesque. Their greasy hair and filthy skin shining in the blue lights of the LEDs, bathing them in a sickly glow. Some of them wore rags like a mocking attempt at creating clothing but most were naked, their deformed bodies fully on show.
I spun and ducked and swung the machete in deadly arcs, moving so quickly that the Creepers couldn't react in time to avoid the blows. But they were either too dumb or too angry to flee and they swarmed around me, ignoring their injuries and screaming their rage as they fought to get their hands on me.
