Evolve, page 12
part #2 of Logan Reed Series
“Loads of ‘em.”
“Not good.”
“Why is that any concern to you? They seemed scared to come up for air just now.”
“They are scared of the jungle because we make them so. We hunt them down whenever more are born.”
“So you guys are in charge of population control?”
She nodded. “When it comes to this continent’s survival, yes.”
“Come again?”
Fayng stepped forward, now within feet of Fitz. “The Nsanga reproduce without the necessary steps like most animals.”
“Asexual reproduction?” Fitz asked, immediately realizing the implications. “Well, fuck me sideways. That means if even one gets loose, they could continue to reproduce unchallenged, throwing all of Africa’s ecosystems out of whack.”
She shook her head. “Not just Africa, Mr. Fitz. The world is at risk.”
Fitz thought back to the creature itself, understanding Fayng’s fear. “Webbed feet, right… They’d be able to continent hop and spread further…and it’s Fitz, drop the Mister.”
They stayed silent as Fitz continued to think. He still needed more answers and Fayng seemed more than willing to provide them.
“What are they—the creatures?”
She shrugged. “We are not certain, only that they are ancient and deadly, spawning tales around the world. Dragons and sea serpents to name a few.”
“Are there anymore outside of this cave?”
“I’m not sure. We only know of this one here.”
“One?” he asked.
She nodded. “She is the last adult. So far, we have been successful in eliminating her young when they try to leave. Thankfully, they only know of this entrance. Normally, we have an army of hunters waiting for them.”
“Normally?” Fitz asked.
“There has been unrest within our culture for some time now. The hunters do not want to adhere to the old ways any longer. There’s even talk of opening the other entrances again and letting the Nsanga roam free.”
He locked eyes with Fayng. “What other entrances?”
She sighed. “If I take you, will you promise to leave us be?”
Fitz didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t his call. If he lied to her and she figured it out, then she’d surely kill him. But would telling her the truth do any better? He needed to keep this relationship civil for as long as he could.
“I don’t know. I’m just a soldier doing his duty—following orders.”
Fayng’s eyes lowered.
“But,” he added, getting her attention again, “my boss—my friend, Logan—he’s down there with what’s left of our team. If you help me rescue them, you can ask Logan yourself.”
Her jaw clenched as she thought over the proposition. She was more than capable of leading him where he needed to go, that was for certain. She was clearly able to defend herself too—more than even Fitz. It would be an unlikely alliance but one that might actually work out for them all.
If Fitz could get to the others in time and save them, Logan would surely acquiesce to her request and leave. None of them truly wanted to be here, especially now that they were separated and losing men left and right. Getting out alive was now numero uno on everyone’s list—to hell with the mission.
“We can help with—”
Fayng’s head snapped around to the south and she sniffed the air. Fitz knew what being on edge looked like. She was definitely on that edge. It was the uptick in adrenaline before a battle.
He shouldered his rifle and faced the way she did but was unable to see anything to shoot. He could’ve really used his night vision equipment right then more than ever. At this stage, he knew he wouldn’t be much good in a fight, not unless the enemy was right in front of him, that is.
“We must go,” Fayng said, turning and heading north.
“Wait—we?” Fitz asked.
She stopped and turned. “Yes, I will help you find your friends, but after that…no promises.”
“Good enough for me.”
Fayng set off at a brisk pace, but not fast enough to leave Fitz behind. She knew her way through the brush, or at the very least, she could see better than him. They weaved through, finding openings in the trees that Fitz had no chance of finding alone. If they could keep it up, they may be able to stay ahead of whatever was coming for them.
A branch broke behind them, sending Fitz into a roll. He came up grunting in pain and spun, unloading a burst into the first thing he saw—another Ru’kan. But unlike his first encounter with the hunters, this one didn’t get up. As Fitz fired he fell to the ground, dodging an outstretched clawed hand. His aim was true, tracing a line up the man’s chest, putting two in it as well as one in his throat and another in the man’s forehead.
Groaning, Fitz stood and was greeted by Fayng.
“Entok,” she said, recognizing the dead.
“Friend of yours?” Fitz asked, hoping he wasn’t.
“No, he was one of the Chokta—one of their hunters. We have been in a feud with them over the years. They don’t like the way the Nua handle things.” She looked at Fitz and then down at his rifle. “I’m impressed, Fitz. Very few outsiders have taken the life of a Ru’kan.”
“Told you I could handle myself.”
Faster than Fitz’s brain could process, she reached over his shoulder and squeezed, lifting another of the hunters off the ground. Fitz hadn’t even heard the man come up behind him. He slid out from between the Ru’kan and Fayng watched as she, in one brutally efficient maneuver, dug her elongating nails into his throat and squeezed. They acted like a version of a cat’s retractable claws. She then shouted, her mouth flickering with green light like a pulsating strobe as she did. Lifting the younger man high, she drove him headfirst into the ground.
Even a hardened warrior like Fitz flinched at the snapping bones of the man’s neck and skull. Then like nothing had happened, Fayng wiped her blood-soaked hands off on the dead man’s clothing and turned, continuing on again without so much as a word.
“Holy shit,” he said, his eyes wide.
She glanced back over her shoulder as she ran. “I too can take care of myself.”
In awe, Fitz caught up with her. “Who are they really—the hunters?”
“They are us,” she said.
“I know that, but are they a different tribe or bloodline or even a rival gang?”
“No,” she replied, looking at Fitz, sadness once again filling her eyes, “they are our brethren…some our children.”
“A civil war?”
Sadness spread over her face. Without answering, Fayng turned and marched forward. Fitz was amazed at what he learned in such a short amount of time. There was so much more to the Ru’kan than any of them could’ve ever expected. They weren’t just savages roaming the jungles in search of their next kill.
They were quite human actually.
15
“Where’s Gray?” Logan asked, seeing for the first time that they were a man short. He’d quickly gotten dressed, squelching any and all comments about his and Kiani’s state. It was officially off the table as a discussion topic.
“Gone Elvis,” Zeus replied, getting an odd look from Kiani. “He’s MIA,” he explained. “We got separated after the big one came after us. We think he survived, though.”
“Not if the babies got to him first,” Kiani added, putting her helmet back on.
“Babies?” CJ asked.
“Whole lot of ‘em,” Logan replied.
He held up his arm which CJ now noticed was missing its entire sleeve up to the shoulder. “What happened?” she asked, gently inspecting the bandages covering his forearm.
“Little one got me. Bastard dug right in and had a taste.”
It wasn’t the only one who had a ‘taste,’ CJ thought, glancing at Kiani.
“You do good work,” CJ said.
Kiani shrugged. “You need to be able to take care of yourself out here. Most of the time I am alone with my clients. Need to be able to help them too, especially if something unforeseen happens.”
“Like being chased by a pissed off gecko the size of a subway car?” Ares asked, anger fueling his question.
Kiani didn’t answer the man’s rant.
“We could use a medic with your skills back in Tan—”
“That’s enough,” Logan chided.
“But she’s obviously valuable to you—I mean us, and—”
“Cassidy!”
CJ backed down and turned around eyeing Zeus and Ares. They looked at her and then one another, doing their best to hold back their smiles. Everyone wanted to ask what happened that made Logan and Kiani play naked twister together, but if he snapped at his own sister the way he did, then he’d probably pull his knife on the rest of them.
“Back to Gray,” Logan said, flexing his arm.
“You sure you’re okay?” CJ asked.
“Fine,” he said, “just stings a little. Nothing I can’t handle.”
CJ wasn’t so sure but standing around and talking about it wasn’t going to help anyone. She thought back to her studies again and remembered the horrifying stories about the bite of a Komodo dragon. They weren’t poisonous in the “technical” sense, but they held a powerful bio-toxin in their saliva that could easily kill a water buffalo let alone a human being. It acted as a quick moving infection. All the lizard had to do was wait…
“Mama dragon trampled Fitz when she came after us,” CJ explained, shaking off the worry over her brother, “but we think he got out alive.”
“Then where is he?” Logan asked.
“Don’t know,” Zeus said, “Like I said before, we lost sight of him after it happened.”
“If I were him,” Apollo said, “I would head back outside and take my chances with the damn cannibals. At least our bullets hurt them.”
Logan nodded. He’d have done the same.
Regardless of what happened to Fitz, they needed to get moving. They’d continue their search for him as they looked for another way out.
“Right,” he said, “plan is the same. Continue through the cave and look for another tunnel to the surface. Keep your eyes sharp and the talking to a minimum. I want to hear them coming and neutralize the threat before it becomes one.”
“One thing,” Apollo said, kneeling. Once his hands touched the worn flat ground everyone saw what he did. “This is a trail. Possibly manmade.”
“Shit,” Zeus said, “now what?”
Knowing that the brush to their right was going to slow them down and the cliffs were inaccessible, Logan gave the only order he had. “Use the path, but stay vigil.”
Nods all around got them moving.
Zeus and Ares took point with Apollo while Logan moved to the rear of the group. Being injured was the only reason he wouldn’t be up front. CJ knew that. She and Kiani started out in the middle of the pack but she quickly fell back and slid in next to her brother. They stayed silent which drove CJ crazy. She wanted to be what most older sisters were to their younger siblings, intrusive. She wanted Logan to spill the beans.
She couldn’t stand it any longer, nudging Logan with her elbow. Staying quiet, she instead asked the question with her eyes and a slight head tilt. The only answer she got from him was a small grin. He hoped she wasn’t going to poke fun at him—that she wanted to truthfully know what happened. Even with as much as they sassed each other, Logan and CJ were best friends and completely honest with one another on any other given day. The only time she’d ever hid anything from Logan was her budding relationship with Jan.
The memory of Jan was too much to handle at the moment, so CJ focused on Logan instead. The small smirk was enough of an answer for her. Logan had really boffed her. In this hellhole of all places. She took a second look around—specifically the valley they were currently traversing. With a fresh perspective, she realized that in another lifetime—and with fewer monsters—that this place would actually have been quite romantic.
She glimpsed forward at Kiani who was herself taking a peek at the Reeds. The two women each caught one another staring at the other. CJ’s natural bubbly personality took over and she gave Kiani a wide smile, getting an embarrassed reaction out of the woman.
Apparently, they didn’t mind the monsters.
“Cass,” Logan whispered. “Lay off.”
“As you wish, Captain.”
CJ moved up, just behind the three Americans, leaving the two lovebirds alone with one another. She looked ahead and watched as Zeus and Ares led the way, rifles forward. Apollo was watching the cliff to the left and CJ took it upon herself to focus squarely on the jungle to the right. Every so often, both CJ and Apollo would glance behind them, making sure nothing snuck up on their six.
The group made it another hundred feet before the grade began to slope down further, making them slow to a crawl. It continued down like that for an additional hundred feet before leveling out again.
Logan moved up so he was next to Kiani. “It’s really quiet,” he said, softly.
“I know,” she replied. “I don’t believe for a moment that the larger one can’t get down here.”
“Maybe there’s something else down here that she’s scared of?” Logan asked, laying it out there.
“Could be, but I’d like to think not…for our own sakes.”
Logan couldn’t agree more. What could possibly deter a creature like the Nsanga female from following them to the valley floor? He forced the question away and continued searching the trees, seeing nothing except more vines and bark. But then something caught his attention, something evidently man-made.
“Hold up,” he said, stepping towards the trees.
“What is it?” Zeus asked from the front.
“Not entirely sure…”
And he wasn’t. Logan saw a shape that looked familiar, but given the environment around them, it didn’t make a ton of sense. As he peered deeper into the trees, he heard a set of footsteps stop beside him.
“Zeus, with me. The rest of you watch yourselves.”
The two men then stepped into the trees and made it two hundred feet before one of them recognized the find.
“Well, I’ll be…”
Logan glanced to Zeus. “What do you think it is?”
He smiled. “If I had to guess, I’d say it was a boat.”
They quickly went back and retrieved the others, explaining what they found.
“A boat?” Kiani asked. She moved to Logan’s side and brushed up against him. He wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not. “He’s right,” she continued. “It’s primitive but it might be worth taking a look.”
“The stream?” CJ asked. “You think it can handle it?”
Zeus nodded. “The valley’s been growing wider and wider with every foot. My guess is that your earlier take on the stream was accurate. I bet the current has picked up as we’ve moved deeper. It could be navigable enough to at least drift. We’d cover more distance with less stress on ourselves.”
“Okay then,” Logan said, “let’s take a look.”
Together the group headed deeper into the woods, finding the widening river of water only a short distance later. As they stepped onto what passed for a bank, CJ’s assessment of the river was confirmed. The peaceful stream from before had been replaced with a rougher river. The fact that they just walked downhill was obviously the culprit too. It created a boost for the flow of the water, giving them pause to the idea of casually drifting on it.
“This may not be as easy as we thought,” Zeus commented, seeing the quick moving water. The current was smooth but swift and would be difficult to navigate down in a boat like that—which was more of a wooden raft with a railing. There didn’t seem to be any oars either.
“Interesting design,” Kiani said, inspecting the dry-docked vessel.
It was bigger than she would have thought, easily able to fit the six of them. It was about ten-foot square and had knee-high railings bordering each side.
“Looks like you’re supposed to sit and paddle yourself along,” she said, climbing on. She stomped on its decking and found it to be plenty solid—almost new. The sound was deep and clunky—durable. “Seems strong enough to handle our combined weight.”
“Why is it here?” CJ asked, looking up and down the bank.
From where she stood she couldn’t see the cliff through the growth and the only thing she could see on the other side of the river was a similar shoreline and more trees. She looked back and wondered if the cleared cliffside footpath was unpassable further ahead?
Is that how the people who lived here traveled?
“Huh…” she said out loud to herself, replaying her last thought.
“What is it?” Logan asked.
“Why is there a boat for people in a place like this?”
No one answered.
The sound of a tree branch breaking got everyone’s attention. They looked around, aiming their weapons, but couldn’t find anything. Then, each one of them tilted their chins up, and as quickly as they did, a swarm of figures descended upon them. Before any of them could fire, all six of Logan’s team members were disarmed and forced to the ground.
Talon-tipped fingers gripped everyone’s throats, threatening to press in and puncture their flesh. All any of them would have to do was flinch and the group would be butchered.
The owners of the hands didn’t look like anything out of the ordinary, minus the glowing green blood just beneath their skin and other strange alterations. Most looked human enough and all had similar growths protruding from various parts of their bodies. Some even had pieces missing.
“What…” Logan said, careful not to excite the one holding him, “what are you?” He’d seen what the Ru’kan in the jungle looked like. They looked like regular men, being able to turn the abilities on and off. These…they looked like a Ru’kan freak show.
Then, it spoke.
Logan was shocked when Kiani began to translate. It was a language he’d never heard before but one Kiani had—and knew. Logan knew from Kiani’s portfolio that she spoke a variety of languages, including some lesser known ones from within the jungle. This was one such local dialect, apparently.
