The Art of Being Right

Monster Break-Out

"It's already killed eight of my men. They were unarmed, didn't even see it coming. I couldn't help them..."

"Just like you couldn't help those innocent people killed on the moor? Wilson snapped, still gripping the chain between the handcuffs in one hand. "You couldn't help them so you let your little experiment go out there and screw with them?"

"It was for research!"

"I don't care what it was for! You killed so many people, and we haven't even found half of them. There's kids without parents because of you, siblings, partners losing each other in the worst way possible, and you claim it's for science?"

Conan had no answer, so before Wilson punched the guy in the face Spence took over.

"At least tell us how to kill this thing. We'll deal with you and your men later."

-

The thing they were hunting was some odd hybrid concocted in a lab - it basically looked like a giant wolf on steroids according the Conan; who by the time the officers had grouped up to a storm the facility was now a blubbering wreck. Spence had almost laughed - the dog theory Wilson had put forwards for him to shrug off had actually been right.

It had two main weak spots - behind it's neck and between the eyes. This particular specimen - the escaped one - was also blind in its right eye due to a malfunction in the gene modification process. So they were going in with a fighting chance.

Armed officers went in first. Dressed in all black, with bulletproof vests, they split into threes and disbanded, communicating through hand signals and radio network. JJ and Wilson followed close behind - also in Kevlar vests - guns drawn and ready. The overwhelming sound of alarm bells pounded in their heads, the flickering red lights adding to the reality of where they were and what they were about to do.

It was dark, but the pair - who were now alone in a long corridor - came across a door marked 'Archive Room'. So far there had been no sign of the monster they were hunting. With a shrug, JJ ducked through the doorway, closely followed by Wilson, who was watching their backs with a steely expression.

The room they were in had a large projector in the middle of it, with a white screen directly opposite. The walls were lined with shelves of tapes, and boxes of folders; it looked as if the shelves would buckle at any second from the immense weight. There was a video flickering on the blank canvas; someone had been watching something before they'd been disturbed.

"What is that?" JJ whispered, eyes open in horror at what was going on on-screen. The camera was shaking, but you could clearly make out a girl, running in terror from whatever was chasing her. It was like one of those crappy horror movies, but ultimately this ending wouldn't be 'Hollywood' worthy. It was almost like a sick twist on a Tim Burton movie - with a real death ending the footage, not an actor's.

The girl tripped and fell to the floor heavily. JJ couldn't watch any more; she turned away with tears in her eyes, face a picture of anger and horror. Wordlessly Wilson pulled her against his chest, glaring at the walls. Were all the tapes like this? How could anyone sit and watch them, over and over? It was at that second they started to realise the nature of the facility.

Wilson was about to reach out and turn of the tape, but a sound from the hallway stopped him dead in his tracks. A scream; loud and bloodcurdling. JJ subconsciously clung to Wilson tighter, a small whimper escaping her lips. He held her a little closer on instinct, before letting her go and stepping silently towards the door.

The alarms had cut out, leaving only the dim glow of the emergency lights in the empty corridors. There were the screams again: wailing and sobbing hysterically, accompanied by a low, grumbling roar. Crap.

Wilson moved into the corridor, JJ close behind, guns drawn and held up cautiously. Several shots fired but it did nothing to subside the roaring that was now growing in volume. Whatever was making that noise sounded really pissed.

Wordlessly the pair crept further down the deserted space, round the corner and through a glass tunnel that cut straight through several labs. Blood was spattered on the walls, and the unfortunate bodies of two guards laid sprawled on the ground.

Wilson looked back at JJ with one finger pressed to his lips - Quiet - then pointed with the barrel of his gun which way they needed to go. They walked hesitantly, the growling getting louder and louder the further they walked into the complex.

They finally reached an open room, with machines and wires covering every visible surface. In the middle of the room, curled in on itself, was an enormous black animal, with yellowing-green eyes and a blood-stained muzzle. It was leering at a body on the floor in front of its huge paws - the poor guy clearly dead, all broken and bloodied on the white tiles - while it watched with an amused expression. It looked like a creature from a nightmare, or a particularly bad acid trip. JJ shuddered at the sight, wondering if this was how all the poor victims had felt before they were needlessly killed.

There was no way to get a clear shot from where they were. The walls obstructed them at any potential angle. JJ didn't realise until it was too late - Wilson was edging along the wall, attempting to stay hidden behind a particularly tall machine. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched.

He took a step. Then another. He paused for a second. Inhaled slowly. Then took another step. Exhale.

But as he moved again, his foot brushed against a trolley in front of him. The tools balanced on top of it tumbled to the floor. The clatter startled the animal; who quickly saw Wilson and his gun a little too close for comfort. With a shriek of fury it launched itself forwards, ripping at the city cop as he yelled out in agony - that's when both Wilson and JJ began to fire.

Bullets pinged off the walls, firing into the dark corners of the room. The sound must have alerted the others, surely they'd heard it? After what felt like ten minutes but in reality was less than one, the monstrosity fell, with a mumble and groan ripping from its broad chest. JJ ran across the room, not bothering to check if the thing was dead or not.

Wilson was slumped against the wall, forehead bleeding and face paling. His Kevlar vest had been ripped clean in two, revealing a deep and ugly claw mark that had shredded his chest. Blood stained the material of his shirt, and his breath came in rasps.

"Oh god..." She whispered, crouching beside him in sheer panic. Her hands found his in a fumbled mess, fingers weaving between Wilson's, trying to keep him awake. Within seconds Spence and the other officers had found them, and after the initial shock of seeing the now confirmed dead beast collapsed on the lab floor, someone managed to compose themselves enough to call a medic.

"Wilson? Please, you have to stay awake. C'mon, it's over now. It's finished."

Wilson managed to peel an eye open, a soft smile on his slackening face.

"It's done?"

"I promise. Everything's gonna be fine now, you just gotta hold on."

"I don't think I can." He murmured, forcing his arm up to rest his palm against her cheek, ignoring the shooting pain he got in his chest and abdomen.

"Don't talk like that," she warned, tears rolling down her cheeks, "don't ever say that."

"Sorry JJ," he mumbled, speech slurring as he began to lose consciousness. She shook him gently, sobbing louder and louder as his eyes began to close.

"No. No, no, no, come on Wilson please. Please. You can't leave me like this," the tears wouldn't stop, and now she was shaking violently, her entire body shuddering as Wilson began to feel cold under her touch.

The medics charged into the room and Spence dragged JJ back, clinging to the officer as she struggled and yelled against his restraining arms. She didn't stop fighting until he dragged her outside to a squad car, sitting her down on the bonnet and hugging her tight. JJ broke down against his shoulder, crying uncontrollably as the light began to fade over Arkfield.

A/N: So there'll probably be about five more chapters after this one before the end. Thanks for reading, and if you voted :)

~Holly