EMERGENCE: Annihilation, Book 6 (The Emergence Series), page 15
He felt the floor and walls shudder as a deafening explosion roared above him, like the ship had just run aground. Dorr slammed against the frame of the observation window as the entire vessel shuddered under the force of the shockwave. Stepping away from the intercom, he heard the sound of metal scraping against the back of the passageway opposite the lab. He saw the massive steel door being shorn from its hinges, and the mangled, headless body of one of his guards tumbled down the stairs as three creatures emerged into the light. The first one had an immense scar on its bare chest while the other was missing part of its blackened arm. The third one was a blond-haired man wearing a tactical vest covered with grenades. There was a faint shrill sound filling the passage, followed by an identical sound emanating from Abby. Dorr felt like a leopard backed into a corner and removed the Kimber .45 from his holster, wishing it was an M4 instead.
He saw the guard next to Selene’s office unsling his rifle and fire as the scarred alpha rushed forward, taking a round in the shoulder, which only enraged it. The creature bounded in a zig-zag pattern, only receiving grazing wounds from the few rounds heading downrange, then leapt onto the man. It raised up its fist, pulverizing the guard’s face; his bones made the sound of wet twigs snapping. It turned to the opening of the office, about to rush in at Selene, but Dorr fired off three rounds, striking the beast in its throat and lower jaw. It staggered back, worms spraying onto the floor as gray blood and teeth spewed out from its mouth. The other alpha and the young man were already sprinting towards Dorr, their obsidian eyes fixated on his chest.
“Selene, get the hell out of here,” yelled Dorr as he unleashed another volley of rounds. The alpha darted into another office then slunk out and continued sprinting at Dorr. He saw Selene emerge from her office, stepping around the dead creature and running towards the steps.
“Go, Selene,” he yelled again after seeing her pause by the dead guard to lift him up enough to retrieve his weapon. Dorr searched the control panel next to the intercom, slapping his palm onto the button for the emergency containment door that would seal off the latter half of the passageway closest to the lab. The steel door released, slamming to the floor, shutting Selene off from the alphas but also sealing his own fate.
In the second he took to warn her, he lost sight of the third alpha, who tossed something in his direction. He barely registered the clanking of metal against the wall as he looked down to see a flash-bang igniting.
The blinding light and deafening blast obliterated his senses as he staggered against the door. He raised his pistol, firing wildly at the hazy figures he knew would be rushing at him, then he felt his feet go out from under him as his back was slammed to the ground. His legs went numb, and he was sure he felt his spine crack from the vicious impact. Dorr forced his pistol hand in front of him then felt it get swept away as a creature towered over him, stepping down on his wrist. Suddenly, the smoke began parting like a fierce breeze had swept through the ship as the blond-haired man approached.
“What the hell are you?” Dorr muttered in a wheezy voice.
“I am you, General. A warrior—a leader trying to keep his species alive.” The man pried the pistol from his grip then aimed it at him as his finger slid over the trigger. “Only I will succeed.”
Chapter 39
Selene ran up the steps from the biolab, tucking the flash drive from Ramirez into her pants pocket. She felt nauseated, like she had just been kicked in the stomach, as she thought about General Dorr’s fate. Need to get help down to the biolab before it’s too late.
Rounding the landing to the second level, she nearly tripped over Schilling’s contorted body, which lay face down on the cold steel. Selene gasped, pressing her hand to her mouth to cover her shriek. No! No! She knelt down to examine the woman, sliding back Schilling’s blond hair to check for a pulse but seeing the pool of blood beneath the massive skull fracture. Selene lowered her head, placing her hand on her friend’s shoulder as she wept. She thought of Dorr and the others still trapped below who might only have minutes left, if they were still alive.
She stood up, forcing her legs to move, and trotted up the last set of steps to the main deck. As she raced towards the bridge, her momentum was halted when she saw its shattered windows aglow with flames and black smoke. Where is everyone? She saw the Endurance a half-mile away. A hailstorm of automatic weapons fire lit up their deck as creatures rushed at the crew on every level while explosions tore through the ship. What are we going to do? Where is Will?
Another blast rocked the boat, this time coming from down below as a burst of steel and flames spewed out from the port side of the hull. She careened against the staircase, catching the railing before she fell. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Connelly grabbing her arm and yanking her away. “We’ve gotta get the fuck out of here before this entire ship goes under.”
Selene saw Porter and two other crewmen rushing up behind them, their guns fixed on the walkway that led to the bridge. “We got one alpha, but the other one disappeared,” yelled Porter as he kept his Glock fixed on the passageway that led to the bow. Selene heard screaming coming from inside the main level then saw people jumping off the ship into the inky waters.
“Where’s Will?” she shouted as they ran towards the lifeboats at the stern.
“Haven’t seen him,” said Connelly. She stopped abruptly, her eyes fixed on something ahead. “Just found that other alpha.” She motioned to the shadows behind the two lifeboats. “It climbed up from the lower walkway—behind the first boat.”
Porter came up alongside her, sliding his injured hand free from its sling to better grip his pistol. They gave each other knowing looks as they moved into familiar offensive positions, their pistols fixed on the shadows ahead.
Another explosion rocked the Lachesis, causing the alpha to slip from its hiding spot. Connelly fired off two unsighted shots, striking it in the knee. It hobbled forward then managed to propel itself off the deck straight at her, its gnashing jaws snapping in the air. She sidestepped, firing another burst of rounds but only hitting it in the chest as she tried to recover her balance.
The alpha dropped to her feet then grabbed her ankle, clawing its way up her legs. She kneed it in the jaw, hearing teeth shatter, but it still kept coming. Selene grabbed it by the shirt collar, yanking it back, but it spun around and leapt onto her chest. Connelly bolted forward, whipping the beast on the back of the skull with her Glock. It fell to the deck, then Porter fired three rounds into its head, dropping it near the lifeboat.
Connelly offered Selene a hand up, checking her over for parasites then glancing at her own body. She looked up at the dead beast then kicked it in the ribs. “Fuckin’ hate alphas.”
Their faces were now aglow with orange, as the flames on the deck had increased. “We need to go,” yelled Porter. The other two crew members were already liberating the lifeboat from its perch, then they all lowered it over the edge.
Selene looked back towards the bridge, searching for Reisner, then felt Connelly grab her arm, pushing her to the railing. “Now, Selene.” Both women climbed over the edge, Connelly waiting until Selene was in the waves below before she jumped.
Chapter 40
Runa was standing beside Andre Pacelle’s desk, studying the access codes of the CDC building in Mexico City when he heard the first explosion tear through the intel office next to their room. He stood stunned for a second, wondering if there had been some malfunction in the engine room below, but his gut told him otherwise. He reached for the Glock at his waist while Pacelle finished transferring the CDC data to a flash drive. Before Runa reached the door, he felt the walls rumble as two more explosions followed, one coming from the bridge above. He heard the sickeningly familiar shrill sounds piercing the hallway outside and knew the horrors they were about to face.
Captain Lynn Jarvis, Dorr’s intel chief, and her assistant rushed up to join them. Both women were armed with Bersa .380 pistols. “What the hell just happened?” said Jarvis.
“I think we can assume we’ve been breached,” said Pacelle as they heard animalistic howls coming from the passageway to the right.
The exit door to their rear screeched as it was torn off its hinges and flung aside like Styrofoam. Three alphas poured in through the opening.
“We are at fucking sea,” yelled Jarvis. “How could they get here?” She raised her pistol and started firing, striking the smaller alpha in the side of the throat and ear. It wailed, darting to the left behind some crates as the other two split off between the desks.
Runa focused on the closest alpha, which had a missing nose. It sprang onto a table then bounded across the desks in a mad frenzy as it growled. He focused his front sight on the head and split open its skull after three shots. Its flailing body spewed out worms and gray sludge as it slid over the edge of the desk, then Runa refocused on the next alpha to his right.
Pacelle and Jarvis’ assistant split off, shooting at the wounded beast behind the boxes.
Runa caught a blur of movement over his right shoulder as a huge alpha entered the room from the doorway behind him. He sidestepped as its hammer-like fist sailed at his head, barely grazing his temple. He dove to the ground, rolling forward then spinning around and firing off two rounds, striking it once in the meaty section below the right clavicle. The hulking figure moved fast for its size and plowed into Jarvis’ assistant, flinging her body against the wall like a twig. It rushed beyond Runa’s vision towards Pacelle, slamming him into a steel cabinet. Runa sprang to his feet, seeing another alpha sprinting towards Jarvis. He shot it twice in the head then spun around to kill the larger alpha moving in on Pacelle.
Runa steadied his sights then felt the percussion from a massive explosion, causing him to fire a wild round past the alpha’s head. Pacelle fought to recover his stance and lunged at the passing beast with a folding knife, thrusting it into his trapezius. Crixus wailed, spinning around and slamming his fist into the analyst’s chest, propelling him into the desk.
Runa didn’t hesitate, emptying his magazine into the closest alpha, tearing open its skull, then shooting the second one rushing at him until he saw its face splinter apart as his pistol’s slide locked back. The huge alpha was the only one remaining, and Runa felt his own rage boiling inside of him, shoving aside the frightening size of his opponent. The beast raced forward, flipping a desk towards Runa, who jumped to the side, landing on the floor and firing off a single round that struck the creature in the right deltoid. Runa heard the sickening sound of his pistol slide locking back.
The creature shrieked, rushing at him. Runa sprang up, darting to the left as the beast swung its huge fist, putting a dent in the floor. Runa pulled out his folding knife, rushing behind it and slashing it across the back then driving the blade into the neck, aiming for the cervical region but missing by an inch. It howled, swinging around, smashing its forearm into Runa’s bicep and driving him back into the wall. Jarvis fired off two rounds, grazing the alpha on the cheek just as another explosion rumbled across the ship. This time, the lights on the ceiling broke loose, and the floor cracked down the middle as the Endurance began tilting. Runa grabbed on to the leg of a computer station bolted to the floor while Jarvis held on to a wall-mounted locker. The alpha tumbled backwards like a jagged rock, falling into the hallway and bounding off towards the stern.
Once the ship had stopped moving, Runa half-climbed towards the rear of the office, where Pacelle was lying against a buckled chair.
He brushed his hand against the bloody cheek of the analyst. “Andre, can you hear me?”
Pacelle’s bent figure was motionless, but his fingers twitched as he opened an eye on his bruised face. “Go, Jonas. We’re done for here.”
“The Endurance is done for, but you’re coming with me.” He tried to slide his arms under Pacelle’s back, but the man shrieked in agony. The room began tilting again, and Runa shielded the man with his body as objects became dislodged from the walls.
Jarvis shouted over from her location, staring at her laptop screen, which was in her lap. “I can’t get a hold of anyone on the Lachesis—they must have been hit too.”
“They’ve won this round, Jonas. Now go before the game is over.” Pacelle pointed to his right shirt pocket, unable to move his arms. “The access codes for the CDC—you’re going to need those to finish this job.” He grabbed Runa’s shirt, pulling him closer. “Finish it, Jonas.” Pacelle slumped back, his eyes closing as his chest collapsed.
Runa slid out the flash drive, gazing at it like a lost treasure, then he gripped Pacelle’s trembling hand. “We will finish it, my old friend, thanks to you.”
The office next to them erupted in flames as the steel floor twisted and groaned, the chasm continuing to expand. Runa stood up, staring at Pacelle, wishing he didn’t have to leave his body here but knowing they only had minutes to escape. He ran past Jarvis, retrieving Pacelle’s pistol from the ground then inspecting the corridor outside for any signs of the alpha. “Let’s go—once the reactor below goes, this ship is going to be a fireball the size of Cuba.”
Jarvis slammed her laptop shut, shoving it into a Pelican case before joining Runa at the exit. Smoke filled the corridor, but he knew it was only thirty feet to the steps that led up to the access hatch for the main deck. Moving slowly through the angled passageway, he kept looking over his shoulder for signs of the alpha, unsure why it had suddenly fled. He knew that the creatures rarely did anything out of sheer self-preservation. I hope you’re floating to the bottom of the fucking ocean right now.
Chapter 41
The blast that initially struck the Lachesis’ engineering room threw Reisner into a bulkhead, stunning him temporarily. He knelt on the ground, shaking his head and checking for any signs of trauma. He thought of Selene and raced down the corridor towards their berth, only to find it empty. He heard the shrieks of people being attacked in the galley, followed by a shrill sound that made him shudder. He pulled out his Glock, pressing his back against the wall while slowly creeping down the hallway. The sensation he’d felt earlier when Abby was suffering from some kind of electric shock returned, followed by images of other parts of the Lachesis and Endurance that were under attack. There must be a dozen or more of them. He wondered why he hadn’t sensed them before. He felt the raw aggression and bloodlust of the alphas racing through him. It was as if he was lashing out and attacking the crew members himself. Reisner clutched his pistol, driving away the feeling but trying to see the location of the alphas.
There were two below deck in the biolab, and his ribs constricted when he realized that’s probably where Selene was. He saw the lab; Abby was strapped to the table with electrical probes in her back. She was communicating with two other creatures, one whose voice he had heard earlier in his berth when his mind felt like it was cleaving apart. In the background, in the observation room, was Dorr’s broken body. Reisner felt remorse, but it was as if he was a spectator watching a movie unfolding on a distant screen. He saw two medical personnel he didn’t recognize being mauled, their heads struck repeatedly by the bloodied fists of an alpha.
Then Abby was freed from her restraints, and they began moving down the corridor, making it out to the rear deck before jumping into the waves below.
Reisner shook his head, the images slipping out of reach. Selene. He rubbed his eyes, his senses returning to the acrid smell of smoke billowing through the corridor. He raced to his right, up the stairs that led to the main deck then out towards the walkway leading to the stern, hoping he wasn’t too late. Running along the midship, he made it to the rear deck and saw the lifeboats were gone. At least some people got away. Did you make it, Selene?
Pausing at the entrance to the biolab stairs, he saw the metal door shorn off its hinges. A light flickered in the stairway as he entered. Coming to the first landing, he saw a woman’s twisted body lying face down, her white lab coat covered with speckled blood. Selene—oh, God! He moved closer then heard the sound of something breathing behind him. He whipped around, swinging his Glock up at the smooth-skinned alpha twelve feet away near the entrance to the stairs. Its mouth hung open, bare teeth exposed as a faint shrill sound filled the air. Reisner hesitated, his finger hovering on the trigger, unsure if he should shoot. Kill it. What is wrong with me? It was ready to spring, then it suddenly paused, staring at him, its head bobbing up and down as it studied him. The creature narrowed its eyes, scrutinizing his face, then it looked upward as Reisner heard the voice of the younger man from earlier in his mind. Join with us and your suffering between worlds will end. The creature took a step closer, easing its predatory stare. Reisner felt a sense of peace wash over him as his concerns for Selene began to fade. He felt the comfort of a thousand other voices as the boundaries between him and the others melted away.
Reisner lowered his pistol slightly, looking down at the body he was sure was Selene. He loved her, but he couldn’t save her. Join with us and there will be no more pain.
He looked at the gun in his hands and thought of all the loved ones he had lost at the hands of these monsters. He couldn’t let them die in vain. Nash, I won’t let your sacrifice be for nothing. This can’t end here. He clutched his weapon, feeling rage and anguish spiraling upward in his soul, bursting forth like a geyser. His torso shook, and he felt vigor surge through his veins, like the arteries feeding his soul were being violently purged and a long-dormant drive that he had buried during his grief over Nash was suddenly returning. Now, it rushed to the forefront as he thought of how he wanted to kill any alpha on sight for what they had done to Nash, Selene, Dorr, and everyone else in his life that he cared for—for what they had done to the world. He faced the alpha, staring into its jet-black eyes. We will grind your brood into dust and eliminate the paras from the planet!
