A sonic beam shot out the Super Gyaos's mouth. It pierced Godzilla's chest. The monster wailed and staggered backwards. Gamera launched a fireball. The Super Gyaos screeched and soared into the air. The blast of fire streaked beneath it.

"It must have gorged itself on the food the other Gyaos stored," said Nagamine. "Accelerating its growth to fight Godzilla and Gamera."

Rice didn't respond to her. Through Gamera's eyes, he tracked the Super Gyaos and spat another fireball. Miss. The winged beast circled round and fired two sonic beams. Both exploded in the ground near Gamera's feet. The turtle roared and stumbled back.

The Super Gyaos dove on Gamera, slamming into his torso. He staggered, then whirled around. So did Rice. Gamera crashed against Mount Suribachi. Pain pounded Rice's body. He gritted his teeth and cracked his eyes open. With Gamera's eyes, he peered through the large hole in the mountain. His stomach clenched.

The shattered remains of at least two dozen eggs lay on the chamber floor. Several smaller Gyaos stared up at Gamera, squealing. A few had a yellowish vibration in their mouths. Pencil-thin beams shot from them, but quickly dissipated.

The Super Gyaos clamped its talons on the top of Gamera's shell. It lifted him off the ground. Gamera struggled, trying to break free.

The Super Gyaos shrieked and spun around. It flung Gamera through the air . . . and into Godzilla. Both monsters toppled to the ground.

"They're hatching," Rice growled through the pain he shared with Gamera.

"The Gyaos?" Nagamine's eyes widened.

Rice grunted and nodded.

"How big are they?" she asked.

"Maybe six, seven feet. A couple of them are already firing sonic beams. Not very powerful ones."

"They must be a few days old. It won't be long before they will be ready to fly and sustain their blasts. They may be able to fly now."

"That's all we need," said Warthan. "A couple of those things slipping away, building a nest somewhere else, and having more babies."

Rice turned back to the battle. The Super Gyaos stomped on Gamera's back. Godzilla tried to scramble out from under the turtle. He roared and let loose a tongue of blue flame. It missed. The Super Gyaos leapt off Gamera's shell and clawed Godzilla's face.

"Looks like we have to take care of this ourselves." Rice took the receiver from Soto and called Major Yamagata. "The Gyaos eggs are hatching. There are at least two dozen newborns inside Mount Suribachi."

"Shit."

"Yeah, shit is right. You flyboys need to drop whatever ordinance you have on those little bastards."

"Unfortunately, negative on your request. We expended all our Sunstrokes. All the other planes are carrying only air-to-air ordinance."

Rice held back a curse as Yamagata continued. "We've also got another problem. Most of us are close to bingo fuel. If we don't get to a tanker soon, well, it'll be a long swim back to The Philippines."

Rice scowled. He shunted his frustration to the side. No time for it. He had to think of a way to take out the baby Gyaos.

And he did.

"Beastmaster One, if you need to top off, do it. I've got another option." He lowered the receiver. "Soto, put me through to the Pittsburgh."

"Yes, sir."

Godzilla roared. Rice glanced over his shoulder. The mutant dinosaur grabbed the Super Gyaos by the leg and slammed it into the ground. Tremors rippled through the island.

Gamera slid off Godzilla and pounced on the Super Gyaos. He rammed a foot into the monster's chest, again and against. The Super Gyaos snapped its head up and sank its teeth into Gamera's neck. Rice felt something wet and sticky slid down his neck.

"Sir, you're bleeding." Lonborg started over to him, reaching into his first aid kit.

"Pittsburgh's on the line," Soto announced.

Rice waved off Lonborg and grabbed the receiver. "This is SEAL Team."

"This is Pittsburgh Actual. Go."

"Captain, the Gyaos eggs are hatching. There are at least two dozen babies active inside Mount Suribachi. They could be ready to fly at any time. Godzilla and Gamera are engaged with the Super Gyaos. That nest needs to be taken out now. How many Tomahawks are you packing?"

"Twelve. How many do you need on target?"

"All of them," replied Rice. "I wanna make damn sure all those things are dead."

The radio was silent for several seconds. Did the captain think using his entire stock of cruise missiles overkill?

"Copy, SEAL Team. Putting all Tomahawks on Suribachi. We'll link with air support for targeting coordinates."

"Copy, Pittsburgh. We'll sit back and watch the fireworks."

Rice turned back to the battle. The Super Gyaos swooped down on Godzilla and rammed its feet into his back. He flung out his arms and fell. The winged beast jumped in the air and crashed down on Godzilla. It jumped up for another strike.

Gamera roared and charged. The Super Gyaos let loose a sonic beam. It missed. Gamera grabbed the other monster and flung it aside. It crashed against the side of Mount Suribachi.

A fireball launched from Gamera's mouth. The Gyaos took off. The fiery streak exploded against the mountain.

Flames burst from Gamera's rear. He rose into the sky.

A sonic beam cut into the turtle's side. He wailed. Rice grunted, his knees buckling.

The Super Gyaos shrieked as it dove. It rammed into Gamera. He dropped to the ground shell first. Iwo Jima shook.

Rice also found himself on his back. Pain crushed his body.

Get up. Get up.

Gamera remained on the ground.

Godzilla did not. He roared and charged the Super Gyaos.

A sonic beam sliced into Godzilla's left leg. A shower of blood burst from the gash. Another beam ripped into his legs. Godzilla staggered and fell.

An oblong-shaped object shot out of the ocean. Three more followed. Tomahawks from Pittsburgh.

Rice sat up, his gaze shifting between the cruise missiles and the monsters. He caught sight of one of the Excaliburs circling high above Mount Suribachi. It was probably feeding targeting coordinates to the submarine.

More Tomahawks erupted from the Pacific.

The Super Gyaos looked away from Godzilla and Gamera to the missiles.

Oh shit. Rice's throat tightened. No.

Sonic beams shot out the creature's mouth. Several missed. Hope grew within Rice as the Tomahawks neared Mount Suribachi.

One missile exploded. Then another. Three more explosions dotted the sky.

Rice pounded the sand next to him with a fist. Dammit, Gamera! Get off your ass!

Despite being a genetically engineered super monster, Gamera was like any other turtle. Put it on its back, and it couldn't get up.

But no other turtle in the world could fly.

Rice looked past Gamera's body to the Super Gyaos. It stood 40, maybe 50 yards away, directly in front of him.

Perfect. Rice grinned.

The Super Gyaos blasted another missile. Gamera drew in his legs. Flames gushed from the openings . . . and washed over the winged monster's legs. It squealed and stumbled away.

Gamera lifted off. He steadily gained altitude, then flipped over and roared.

The five remaining Tomahawks rushed toward the peak of Mount Suribachi. One struck its side, sending up a plume of smoke and dirt. A second one exploded against the lip of the crater. The remaining three dropped through the opening.

Rice wondered if they'd be enough to destroy all the eggs.

Godzilla's prolonged, powerful roar blasted across the island. The monster rose, his left leg drenched in blood.

"Damn," muttered Candaele. "That is one tough son-of-a-bitch."

Blue fire leapt from Godzilla's mouth. The Super Gyaos launched itself into the air, barely missing the radioactive blast. The monster climbed higher. Godzilla spat out another tongue of flame. It also missed. The Super Gyaos looped around, lining up for a strafing run.

Rice plunged his consciousness fully into Gamera's. The turtle swung around, heading for the Super Gyaos.

Go at him head-on. I've got an idea.

I sense your plan, replied Gamera. It is risky, but I will do it.

The flames from Gamera's rear grew more intense. The monster hurtled toward its foe.

The Super Gyaos's head snapped up. It screeched and pulled out of its dive. The beast leveled out, charging straight at Gamera. The gap between them narrowed.

Wait . . . Wait . . .

The bird-like monster's jaws opened. A yellow shimmer formed in its mouth.

Now! Gamera thought it a split-second before Rice.

The giant turtle plunged toward the island.

The Super Gyaos fired. The sonic beam zipped far above Gamera.

With a roar, Gamera pulled up. He put on an extra burst of speed.

A quake rocked Rice's body as the turtle collided with the other monster. The Super Gyaos flipped over, plummeting toward the ocean.

Gamera rocketed straight up, then looped over. Rice groaned and clenched his teeth against the crushing g-forces. He fought to focus on the Super Gyaos. It hit the water, throwing up an enormous of white.

He steered Gamera nose on with the other monster. It struggled to right itself, flapping its wings, trying to get airborne.

Gamera smashed into it. He drove the beast into the ocean floor. A brown cloud of silt kicked up around them. The Super Gyaos flailed its wings and talons.

Rice squinted, but the undulating brown mass blinded Gamera. Just gotta go by feel.

The turtle lashed out with his clawed hands. Several times they made contact with thick flesh. The Super Gyaos thrashed and twisted, trying to break free.

Rice felt Gamera's hand strike something fleshy, but not as thick. One of the monster's wings.

Let's ground this son-of-a-bitch, he thought to Gamera.

I agree.

A bone blade slid out Gamera's left elbow. He brought it down, then back, again and again. The Super Gyaos spasmed as the blade shredded its wing.

A yellow flash lit up the silt cloud. Sonic beams. One sliced into Gamera's jaws.

Rice cried out, his mouth on fire. The Super Gyaos slid free of Gamera and kicked toward the surface. Rice pushed down the pain, urging the turtle to pursue.

The winged monster broke the surface. Rice pulled out of Gamera's eyes. He watched the Super Gyaos flapping its one good wing and one torn wing. It couldn't take flight.

Godzilla roared. The radioactive dinosaur stood on the beach, its narrowed eyes aimed at the Super Gyaos.

Gamera, stay below. I think Godzilla's got this.

I will do as you say.

The Super Gyaos shrieked and kept flapping its wings. It almost got airborne, but tilted to the left and dropped in the water.

A blue glow formed over the plates on Godzilla's back. A stream of blue fire shot over the water. Flames swept over the Super Gyaos. It let out a final, agonized cry before exploding.

"Yeah!" Candaele pumped a fist, then slapped Soto on the back.

Nagamine let out a relieved breath. Warthan and Mongkut nodded.

The Super Gyaos is destroyed, thought Gamera.

Yeah, but we're not done yet, Rice replied. We still have those baby Gyaos to take care of.

You are correct.

Gamera surfaced, roared, and jerked his head toward Mount Suribachi. Godzilla turned to the battered mountain, looked back to Gamera, and roared.

The giant turtle stalked out of the water to join the mutated dinosaur. The pair tramped up to Mount Suribachi. Gamera peered through the opening. Rice saw several eggs shattered and smoldering. Scorched pieces of young Gyaos lay throughout the chamber.

Many other eggs and baby monsters had survived the Tomahawk strike.

Not for long.

Both monsters opened their mouths. Fireballs and blue flame blasted through the nest. A column of smoke and fire sprang from the summit, turning Mount Suribachi into a volcano.

Gamera and Godzilla ceased their firestorm. They looked to one another, reared back their heads, and let out triumphant roars.

"Soto." Rice motioned to the radio. "Get Major Yamagata on the horn."

The SEAL switched to the proper frequency and handed him the receiver.

"Beastmaster One, SEAL team."

"Go SEALs," replied Yamagata.

"Major, I'm happy to report your Earth is officially Gyaos free."

NEXT: THE CONCLUSION