The LAB

Chapter 49

"Let's head out!" Jaslo and Cougar bolted out of the city, following the trail Turbine had left. Behind them was a large group of vehicles, all trained to fight in some way with their respective weapons drawn. Once the war party had hit the wilderness, the two beasts seemed to almost lose their party until they came to a grinding stop in the sand. Jaslo flared her wings and let her fangs show as Cougar aimed his gun at Turbine, who looked back to them with fear. Zotic slowly rolled over to Jaslo's side, patting her gently and drove in front of her calmly.

"Please," Turbine wheezed, "You've got to help me!"

"Help you? You started all this!" Zotic snapped, causing the beaten up SUV to whimper and lower to the ground.

"He's sending hounds to kill me! I can't handle them!"

"So you want us to kill them for you? How can we even trust you?!" As other cars soon joined in on the heavy glares nailing Turbine in place, Jaslo and Cougar set their sights on the pack of Hounds charging their way. They took no time in deciding on who to protect; those Hounds were coming and it was time to fight either way. Jaslo lunged over Turbine, sinking her fangs and claws into a Hound with Cougar close behind, taking down another right by her side. Everyone else opened fire on the targets they could, and Turbine hit the dirt as the shots filled the air. Once the dust settled and the gurgles of the hounds fell silent, Jaslo and Cougar walked over to look down at Turbine, who was still curled up and shaking from the fight around her. Zotic just shook his front with a heavy sigh, pulling his gun and aiming it at the beast.

"No." Everyone froze and turned to look at Jaslo, everyone but Turbine. The frightened SUV looked to the gun before looking over to the Blazer with a whine.

"Granted, it wasn't a trap, but we are not the same monsters that made that lab. I'm giving you a chance, Turbine. Escape with your life and never return to these parts, or stay and fight either Devan or myself. Which do you choose?" Jaslo didn't even budge when the beaten vehicle turned away and fled past the group of normal vehicles. Cougar only huffed and stomped a tire, looking over to his mate with an annoyed groan.

"I will give them a choice, not everyone is built for war." Her tone was stern as she turned and began her gallop through the brush towards the complex in question. Cougar roared out, soon turning to follow her with the rest of the group barreling on after them. Each of them knew this was the end in some way for them all. The call of war had already been made, and some jerk behind an army had already declared their death; this was their last stand and stab at freedom. Zotic and Jaslo hit a path they knew all too well, and sped up across the dirt road towards the lab. There was no need to hide at this point, battle was ahead and there was no way of surprising a complex that was underground to begin with. Cougar held back with the main group as Zotic and Jaslo took the front, sending up dirt to cover the full party and give at least some effect to a larger group.

"The doors!" Zotic pointed out, and both locked onto a giant hole in the ground that soon poured out with various beasts. Hounds lunged over and Jaslo took the brunt force of slamming her body sideways into a few of them. Zotic zipped around them, narrowly avoiding being chomped down on by a truck as he bolted for the open door and leapt in. He didn't look back, he charged on as the chaos erupted behind him from beasts trying to stop him and failing. In the darkness, he noticed they all had red lights on their sides in some way, but there wasn't time to think on that as he entered the complex to be met with Devan himself.

"You are... much larger than I thought!" Zotic panicked, looking up as the Honda smirked before it rolled towards him.

"Thanks for bringing my pet back to me," Devan said before letting out a screech that rattled everything around him. Zotic hunkered down, the sound hurting him in every inch of his body as he felt some part of him crack and shatter. Once it stopped, it started again, and he struggled to look around as the ceiling began to crumble.