Chapter 36: More Than Meets The Eye, Part 1
SOMEWHERE IN THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS, WASHINGTON:
The Trappeur worked its way through the thick fir and spruce forest, a light rain falling upon its windshield.
"Remind me why we're out here again." Bombardier muttered.
"Some hikers reported seeing an anomaly out here, and we're the best suited to investigate." Herc answered.
"Great. Another chunk of amber with a surprise inside. Who wants to guess what new eldritch horror we find this time?" Auger snarked.
"It's not amber. The hikers' photographs indicated that it was clearly artificial, and our analysis indicated that it probably doesn't have anything to do with the Inhumanoids." Bright explained.
"Still could contain some eldritch horror from beyond time and space." Auger retorted.
Liquidator reached into an overhead compartment and removed a small package of trail mix.
"Anyone hungry?" he asked.
The Trappeur suddenly stopped, the passenger compartment door opened, and Earth Corps marched out into the damp and rocky mud of the anomaly site. A large spire of unearthly metal rose up into the air.
"That's…different." Auger remarked.
"Come on. The sooner we get this done, the better." Bombardier announced.
The six spread out and approached the spire.
"Auger, get us a sam-"
Auger's drill bounced off metal, sparking all the while.
"No dice, Herc. I don't even think I scratched it."
"Anybody feel like we're being watched?" Sandra piped up.
Like some predatory bird, a flying object soared overhead. It was about the size of a sparrowhawk, but it was not anything of Earthly origin. As it flew past the spire, an order came from its master.
Laserbeak, report.
I have found the remains of the Nemesis. Six humans are gathered around it. Orders?
I will deal with them. Return to me. Soundwave out.