Crossroads

Chapter Two

Middle of April 2009

A scream of "Fuck!" tore from my throat as the Licker dragged me forward, right towards the leaping Hunter's extended claws, its slimy tongue wrapped around the flesh of my right arm.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Liam yelled my name, the sound of my blood rushing in my ears as the b.o.w came at me. 'No way am I dying like this... Not when I've only got this far...!' I felt my teeth gnash together as I desperately looked around me, trying to form some sort of plan -and quick. 'With the height the Hunter leapt, I could... go right under it!'

In a split-second I dropped down, letting the forceful tug of the Licker drag me across the steelworks and towards it as the Hunter leapt over me with a snarl, quickly grabbing my Beretta M9 from its holster with my free hand and aiming it steadily at the skinless creature. I shot it six times in the head and chest until it went slack with a shriek; the tongue around my wrist slackened enough for me to slide free back onto my feet the same time as multiple loud shots rang out behind me.

"Hey Erin! A little help would be nice!" I whipped around just as Liam rolled to the side, avoiding the claws aimed to maim him as they sank into the metal flooring where he stood not moments before. He was quick to jump back to his feet, pumping shotgun shells into the Hunter's seemingly impenetrable hide and dodging deadly swipes.

I could see my assault rifle laying off to the side and darted towards it; my fingers just wrapping around it when something large barrelled into me, knocking the air from my lungs and the gun from my hand with a pained shout. A hissing, insect-like noise snarled in my ear as I struggled to lift the heavy weight and whatever had pierced through my side from me, my eyes and brain unable to make out what the hell was attacking me. All I knew was that it was bad news, and disgusting.

"Fuck, what the hell is that?!" Another few rounds of shots rang in my ears until a heavy thump hit against the flooring, but I couldn't afford to look away from the monstrosity trying to kill me to check on Liam.

"That would be my lovely modification to a Chimera. Marvelous, isn't it?" I grit my teeth against the pain as the unknown male's gleeful voice rang out from above us, my arms straining as I kept the thing from tearing into me.

"Yeah, very fucking lovely, would've been all the better if you didn't unleash these damn things, you psycho!" I heard a 'tsk' above the growls and snarls, my head tossing to the side to avoid being impaled by the creature's sharp spider-like legs as it screeched at me with a gaping maw. I wouldn't be able to hold it with one arm if I went to grab for my knife, leaving me struggling for options.

I didn't have to hold out long, though, as a bullet buried into the side of the thing's head and threw it off of me, the all too familiar sound of a shotgun ringing in the air.

"You alright?" I twisted my head to find Liam standing over me, a splatter of blood across his face and neck but overall uninjured. He held out a hand to me, eyes on the purpley-red skinned Chimera pulling itself back up, and I quickly took it with my left, flinching at the stinging burn above my hip. "I will be once this bastard's put down. Thanks."

I caught my breath and swept my sight across the floor, trying to find my gun before the b.o.w came at us again, spotting it just on the edge of the platform and made a grab for it while holding my bleeding side.

"Try as you might, there's only two of you and plenty more of my pets. Though you are giving me plenty of combat data, you won't be getting out of here alive. Just like those others sent out to two more of my units."

I picked up my rifle, checked the safety was off, and opened fire into the Chimera's pulsing chest; lighting the area with the blaze of bullets. It screeched and thrashed, charging towards me even as black blood sprayed from its flesh, and I had to duck and roll to avoid the razor-like insect arm about to slice across my throat. It sent flaring pain to my injury and I had to bite my tongue to stop the scream building in my throat.