The Predators Hunt

Departure

I pack everything before we leave for the mission: My canteen, food, flashlight, medical supplies and hunting knife. Jeremy packs the same along with his "lucky" yellow multi purpose tool.
  "Make sure you don't forget this." He turns and tosses me an M4.
  "Hey! What's she doing with a gun?"
  I recognize that voice since it perfectly matches Roger's punchable face.
  "I'm coming along on the mission. Sargeants orders." I stand my ground.
  Grant and the other guys with guns look at me like I just proclaimed to be a flatearther.
  "You fuckin' serious?" Grant chuckled.
  I walked right up to him, "Did I stutter?"
  Grant narrowed his eyes down at me. Suddenly his fist flew up to my face, making me flinch. Everyone except Jeremy started laughing.
  I flipped him off as I walked back to my back pack. I turn to Jeremy who's occupied with applying camo patterns to his face.
  "So, um, what's this mission for again?"
  Jeremy put his round glasses back on, "We're gonna be looking for something. That's why we're bringing guns." He lifted his up to his chest.
  Looking for something?
  "What exactly are we looking for?" I zipped up my pack.
  "Uuum, they were pretty vague. They said it was super dangerous and that it was somewhere in the forest." He tied on a bandana.
  I sling my back pack on, take my gun and go outside with the rest who are stationed outside. After Jeremy joins, the Drill Sargent comes to meet us.
  "Alright everyone, you are all going in groups. I don't care if y'all don't like who you're assigned with, if you wanna complain, you do it in front of me understand?"
  "YES DRILL SARGENT!" Everyone replies in unison.
  "Good! Now, you're all going in groups of four to five. You are to scout out as much of those woods until you find what has recently escaped our science facility. And when you find it, kill it. Is that understood?"
  "YES DRILL SARGENT!"
  "One more thing before you leave! This is what the creature looks like."
  Everyone focused their attention on a big picture the drill sargent held up. Oh my God!
  Whatever was on that picture, it was hideous. A giant, black, nearly insect like thing with no eyes or ears, just a shiny bulbous head and a vicious snarling mouth. It didn't look like any animal I had ever seen, it looked more like some freak science experiment gone wrong. Maybe that's why we're going out to kill it.
  I swallowed hard.
  "If you find it, shoot it only. Don't use your knives. Now, roll out!"
  We all began to march toward the forest in a straight line, Jeremy right behind me, and Grant in front.
  He turned his head toward me. "Heh, guess you're in my group Winda."
  I ignored him.
  "Stay out of my way, or I'll end you before that thing does." He said in a low, serious voice.
  I resist the urge to shove him to the ground. For now.
  Eventually, everyone splits off into their groups and dissappear into the rich forest. Personally, I always liked it out here. The sounds of rustling leaves and animals, the smells and the endless ways to survive.
  Despite being the butt of every joke, the only thing no one teased me about was my survivalist skills. It was well known I could make a fire with just a few sticks and create a trap out of practically anything. Too bad I sucked at hand to hand combat.
  It wasn't like I didn't care about combat training, it's just that everytime I either froze up, or got so mad I gave up halfway. No wonder I don't go on many missions.
  "Hey Winda! Are you gonna drag your ass through these woods or are you gonna catch up?!" Roger's voice called from behind a broad tree.
  I curse myself out and catch up to the group. Roger and Jeremy are looking to Grant who's holding the map.
  "OK, there's a lake around here. Everyone, go east." He pointed in the direction of some thick underbrush.
  As we follow him I whisper to Jeremy, "Who made him the leader?"
  Jeremy snickers, earning him the evil eye from Roger. He shuts up immediately.
  As Grant spits out some more orders and directions, I begin to gaze around at the sky as sunlight peeks in through the trees.
  I almost rub my eyes afterwards since I thought I saw a pair of glowing red eyes spying at us from one of the branches.