Cat & Mouse

Cats & Mice

After observing, the group realized the pyramid rearranged every hour. They all set their watches to sound an alarm every 50 minutes to give themselves some time to group up and prepare to move any direction the pyramid pushed them. They could only hope at certain arrangements they'd reunite with the individuals they were separated from. Roxy and Nadia were nervous in their large group. They could only imagine how the people alone must've felt. At least the separated marines had weapons to keep them company, but the poor researchers must be alone and terrified. Constantly holding onto Roxy, and looking at the statues gave Nadia comfort. She hoped the pyramid didn't take them away, but if it did at least she had Roxy. Roxy remained cool as a cucumber. Nadia however knew that was far from the truth. She knew her best friend would be absolutely beside herself in grief and guilt. "If you're scared you can hold onto me instead. I'll comfort you." said Pax smugly. Nadia shot a glare at him. "I would use you as a human shield before I ever went to you for comfort." She said dryly. Roxy grinned slightly. And the pair walked ahead.

Alec came up behind Pax. "She isn't interested. You're just embarrassing yourself. So why don't you leave her alone." he offered. Pax shifted his fiery gaze to him. "Why don't you mind your pretty boy before getting in the business of real men." he snapped back. Alec narrowed his eyes, all sorts of ready to get into a fist fight then and there. Eli stopped him. "Let it be, Alec. He's not worth it. We have bigger things to worry about than those assholes anyway." he spoke softly and placed a kiss on Alec's cheek. Alec calmed down gripping Eli's hand and continued on. "I swear if we make it out of here alive, you won't be my boyfriend anymore." Alec said, Eli stiffened. "... Instead you will be my fiance." Alec added with a smile. Eli relaxed, lightly smacking his arm. "I never said yes." Alec grinned, "You haven't said no." Eli smiled in response. "You guys are going to give us cavities with all that sweetness." Claire remarked at the two. Nadia snorted. Such a dad joke, but she lived for it.

For a while things seemed rather uneventful. But then from the depths of the pyramid they began hearing human screaming, skittering nails on hard surfaces, and a God awful screech. The group pressed tighter. "What was that?" Marissa asked. Her eyes already wide and terrified. They all shined their flashlights down the dark corridors. They immediately wished they had not. They saw some kind of mucous dripping from the ceiling onto the floor, followed by a long, black, barbed tail. Marissa immediately screamed at the sight. The group of researchers turned to run in the other direction towards the marines, but that is when they saw one of the marines getting slammed into a wall. A giant wire netting tightening around his body. Cutting through his clothes and even his vest. The marine letting out a pained yell as the net kept closing in on his body. A large silhouette appeared from between columns. An invisible object suddenly pierced through the marines chest, his pained yells being drowned out by the blood gurgling in his throat before it seeped from between his lips. Marissa was now downright sobbing and clinging to Isaac. Roxy was wide-eyed. Nadia stared at the marine's body. Minus the black creature, the scene with the marine was very familiar.

The group was sandwiched between the black slimy thing, and whatever invisible being just killed the marine. Pax and the lieutenant took aim towards the black creature. Immediately they began to fire. Meanwhile a few more marines with the group were firing at whatever had them trapped on the other side. It did very little. More of those black creatures appeared running along the walls. While the rest of the researchers were watching the black serpents, Nadia's eyes remained behind them where the invisible being was. It was getting pissed off as the ammo from the marines ricocheted. It roared angrily, a metallic swish sounding as two shimmmering blades appeared from its wrist. The silhouette was huge as it took massive heavy steps towards the marines. Ripping a spear from one of the statues, easily and quickly it launched it like a javolin, impaling another marine.

Another one down and two more active threats to go. Grabbing the barrel of one of the weapons it ripped it from the marine's hands. Slamming it onto the ground the weapon shattered. Catching that same marine by the throat with it's other hand it held his body in front of it. The final marine, too blinded by fear didn't even realize he was emptying his rounds into his comrade until the huge silhouette was right in front of him. Tossing the now dead marine aside, the final marine turned to run away. He stopped in his tracks as the silhouette's hand embedded into his back. With a mighty roar, the being ripped his arm backwards, tearing the marine's spine out from his back with the skull still perfectly attached. Nadia stared wide eyed in disbelief, and morbid fascination. Four heavily armed marines, all dead within thirty seconds, and the figure never even broke its stride.

The roar caught the attention of the rest of the group. The gorey scene shocked them all. Eli clung tightly to Alec, tears now coming from his eyes as well as Claire's. Marissa hadn't stopped wailing the entire time. Roxy was frozen stiff. Pax and the lieutenant's gaze landed on their fallen comrades. "YOU SONS OF BITCHES!" The Lieutenant yelled, entirely unhinged. Pax however saw this as a great opportunity. The hidden figure was swiftly moving towards their direction. the two marines were about to open fire, but the figure ran right by them and instead tackled one of the black serpents. Its cloaking dissipated. Nadia glanced from the creature to the statue. The statues were built after unknown beings, and true to size. Nadia was staring directly at a live one. Long black dreadlock-like appendages served as its hair. It was eight feet of reptilian skin and rippling muscle, only partially hidden by full body netting and armor. A very large, very thick mask hiding its true face from view. If she wasn't so terrified of the Armageddon unfolding around her, she might've taken more photographs. While the creatures were distracted with each other, Pax and the Lieutenant all but dragged the remaining researchers away. However, one of whatever those creatures were against a handful of the serpents, the odds weren't great it would distract them all. Pax counted on that.

The moment one of the serpents slipped through, he took advantage of the chaos and tripped Isaac. Before Isaac could stand to get away, the serpent was on him. With a shriek, the serpent grabbed onto Isaac and dragged him away down a dark corridor. Isaac's yell fading the farther he was dragged. Nadia broke from the group. "Isaac!" she yelled and began to chase them. But Pax grabbed her arm and yanked her roughly. "Enough! He's gone! Move your ass!" Nadia continued to struggle against Pax until a surge of burning pain burst from the side of her face as Pax backhanded her. It felt like her eye was going to explode. Pax threw her over his shoulder and ran after the rest while she was still too stunned to resist more. When she snapped back to reality she squirmed and started smacking his back. "Pax! You bitch! Put me down, I have to help Isaac!" she yelled. "Dammit, woman, you can't! That fucking thing dragged him off! You can't catch them now, and he's probably already dead anyways!" Pax snapped. Nadia stopped hitting him, going silent as she stared the direction Isaac was dragged. Silent tears of anger and also sadness streamed down her cheeks. Finally a guy she actually liked, and he was murdered by serpent aliens.

There was no time for rest. They no sooner escaped those things, then once again the pyramid began changing its layout. Once they escaped the near death experience of closing walls, and the pyramid was finished changing they all sunk to the ground. Pax finally let Nadia go. Nadia immediately crawled away and to Roxy. Again back to square one of escaping, but this time they didn't have Isaac or his drone and printer to help them map the way out. Their group of thirteen, now only had eight. The individuals that were separated during the first change, most likely encountered the same monsters. Which meant that they were down another seven. The harsh reality was weighing heavily on everyone's mind. Of the twenty-five they came with, only eight remained.

Claire and Marissa held each other and sobbed, while Alec held a crying Eli. While Nadia and Roxy weren't making any sounds, tears still slowly streamed from their eyes. "Will the bunch of you stop crying already? It's fucking annoying. Those bastards didn't fucking tell us about the dreadlock mother fuckers either." Pax seethed. The lieutenant swiftly elbowed him again. But this time it was too late. Nadia and Roxy heard. In fact all six of them did and they all turned their attention to the soldiers. "You mean to tell me... You knew about this damn place!? You know what those things are!? And you have known this whole time!?" Roxeanne yelled. "Those damn containment units... Are they for these fucking things, and that's why you're here!? ALMOST TWENTY PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! MY PEOPLE!" she bellowed, burning with an anger and betrayal she never felt before. She didn't even know how to begin to contain it. The Lieutenant glared at her. "Don't get loud with me, little girl. In case you forgot half of them were my men too! And I'm just as responsible for them as you were for your nerds." he snapped back. The two stood, eyes locked together in an intense stare-down as they both all but exploded in rage and guilt.