When Darkness Falls

The Duel

Day 12

They found the car the next morning very early after Myrna had made sure to wake them right at dawn. They loaded up their things and headed out, leaving the small town behind them. They headed southwest towards Green Bay, then turned up north towards Minnesota. They stopped just outside of Minneapolis to refuel the car, then they headed out again.

It was nearly sunset when they made it to Baudette where Myrna announced they would rendezvous with a team of resistance fighters. They drove through the small town but they didn't notice anything or anyone. Myrna began to look worried when they stopped at the meeting spot and there wasn't a soul in sight.

"Odd. They should have been here by now." Myrna said, her brow creasing with a worried frown.

"Maybe they had a delay?" Ian suggested, looking down the road in front of them.

After about forty-five minutes, Myrna started to look really concerned. The sun was beginning to set and they had not planned on staying on the mainland another night. It was looking as though they had no choice if Myrna's team didn't show up soon.

"I don't like this. My men were told to send a message via radio if they could not make it by sundown. Something is very wrong." She said, swiveling her head nervously.

Adam seemed on alert as did Ian and Michael. If no one arrived soon, they would have to take shelter inside a nearby building. They waited for as long as they could, then Myrna finally gave the signal to indoors. Eve felt on edge, as did everyone else. They had been through too much already not to be cautious about things going sideways.

They found a nearby brick building with no windows. It looked to be a factory of some kind but Eve wasn't sure what for. Myrna said it was the safest building since she wasn't sure how many Fallen were in the area.

They started to settle on for the night, laying their bags out, when they heard a sound that made Eve's heart drop.......a Hunter's cry.

"Fuck." Ian hissed.

Myrna stared wide eyed at the door, then glanced at the rest of them.

"Maybe it will just move on." She said uncertainly.

Then they heard another cry, this time from a normal Fallen. One after another, they heard various cries from the Fallen including multiple Hunters in every direction. Then finally, there was a deep bellowing cry from a Beast.

"We are so fucked." Michael breathed.

"Myrna, any ideas?" Adam demanded.

Myrna shook her head. "Aside from running? No."

"Fucking wonderful." Ian retorted.

"You all can come out now." A voice called to them from the other side of the door.

Eve recognized the voice and looked at Adam fearfully.

"Viktor." She breathed.

"If that's Viktor, he's controlling those Fallen. If he wanted to, he could send them after us in a heartbeat. I hate to say it, but I don't think we have another choice." Michael said, glancing at Adam.

"We can't let him have, Eve. She's the only hope the resistance has at defeating Cerus." Myrna whispered fiercely.

Adam looked at her, then glanced down at Eve, his expression unreadable.

"I don't have all night." Viktor called again.

"Fuck, what are we going to do? There's only so many of those creatures we can fight, but we can't take all of them. Those Hunters will rip us to shreds." Ian whispered.