Chapter 26 – Prowlers, Prowlers Everywhere
Ajay felt like she had been sleeping for about five minutes then something or someone was poking her. She pulled the covers back to see Natalie sitting next to her on the bed. "Hey Natalie. What time is it?" Ajay flipped the covers back. "6pm!" As soon as Natalie saw Ajay in only her bra and panties she blushed and turned round quickly. Ajay looked at her and looked down. "I can't believe this girl is an adult. She acts so young." She stretched, "It's okay Natalie. We're both girls. Just havin some girl time, right?" She forced a smile as Natalie turned back around. Natalie looked at Ajay's body as she got dressed. Ajay was a little more developed then she was and had a lot of scars. She noticed the stitches on her left side and pointed, "Did you have surgery?"
Elliot opened the door the door and began to walk in and Natalie jumped up as Elliot stared at what was going on. She pushed him back out the door, "Girl time!" She then shut the door in his face. "Okay cool. I'll come back later." Elliot stared at the door in front of his face. Ajay laughed and pointed to her wound, "No surgery. It's from da arena. Just like out here, ya con get hurt in the current arena." Natalie look perplexed for a moment. Ajay slipped on a new bra and panties, a plain black tank top, black leggings, her black hoodie, and her boots. Natalie watched her the whole time. Ajay cleaned up and they walked back to the work area.
Night had already settle into the sky as they walked outside. Natalie had set up the work area near MRVN with some lighting so that they could see. Elliot waited near the robot with some soup for all of them. Ajay passed on the food and got right to work while Natalie ate. They worked long into the night and into the early morning. Elliot tried to make some jokes but the Ajay and Natalie were too focused on fixing MRVN, so eventually he gave up on comedic relief. Finally, around 3am Ajay put the last panel back on MRVN and Natalie announced that they were finished.
Natalie smiled at the robot and they all stood there and waited for MRVN to boot up. Natalie tapped MRVN's screen. A look of disappointment washed over Natalie's face. "I do not understand. He should be working." Ajay walked to the front of MRVN, "Well Natalie sometimes ya can have all the brains in da world but ya just need ta use some force." Ajay clenched her fist and pounded on MRVN's screen a few times. The knocked of glass echoed through the hanger. MRVN's screen flickered on and went through a rebooting sequence. Natalie cheered and hugged Ajay.
Ajay smiled but felt very uncomfortable but it wasn't from Natalie. "Do you hear that?" She gently pushed Natalie away. Ajay turned around towards the noise, forcing Natalie behind her like a mom would do to protect her child. Natalie peeked around Ajay as they both listened for whatever noise Ajay thought that she had heard. Elliot nodded and listened while looking. Then they all saw it. Not more than 15 meters there was a prowler. It was a brownish black, burnt color with streaks of red and orange along its whole body. It resembled some type of huge wild dog. It actually looked like there was smoke smoldering from its body.
Natalie clutched at Ajay's hoodie. "Hello friends!" MRVN said from behind them, "It's great to see you." The prowler heard the friendly robot and walked closer to them, growling as it approached. "Elliot?" He watched the prowler as finished putting on his cloaking suit, "Yep." MRVN trotted over to Ajay. "MRVN. I need you." The robot stepped over to closer to Ajay, "Hi Natalie!" Ajay motioned to the weapon cage. "MRVN, Elliot is going to throw out decoys. When he does I need you to take Natalie and grapple to the weapon cage." MRVN gave Ajay a thumbs up, "You got it friend." Ajay nudged Natalie off of her, "Natalie go with MRVN and get weapons." Natalie nodded as she climbed onto MRVN's back, "Oui."
The prowler was about 4 meters away by the time Ajay finished telling them her quick plan. "Now Elliot." She said to him in a low, calm voice. Elliot pointed his finger just left of the prowler and sent out a single decoy. It ran just where he pointed it, left of the prowler. The creature chased it almost like a cat. MRVN grappled to the weapon cage with Natalie clutching tightly to his back. The prowler clawed at the decoy and roared loudly when it disappeared, then turned around and came charging back. Elliot threw out this ultimate and went running invisible, for the weapon cage. Ajay tossed a light from the work area at the prowler and went running toward the cage as well.
The prowler ran for the decoys and clawed all of them down and then went running after Ajay. Natalie and MRVN were already armed and Elliot had two guns; he tossed a gun to Ajay as she slid over to them. The prowler was jumped at Ajay. Without hesitation Ajay aimed her gun but no time to fire. Natalie walked forward as she fired her gun. The prowler pounced Ajay but fell limp on top of her. Elliot, MRVN, and Natalie rushed over as Ajay groined, pushing herself out from underneath the prowler. Elliot and MRVN each grabbed an arm and pulled her out. "Good. I'm good." She stood up covered in blood and guts and immediately readied her gun. Natalie followed her lead. Elliot sent another decoy out only for two prowlers to pounce it. Ajay and Elliot fired at one of the prowlers while Natalie and MRVN grabbed extra mags.
Elliot and Ajay's gun clicked empty as the first prowler dropped. Natalie slid two heavy mags their way as she walked forward with MRVN. They both shoot down the second prowler and reloaded. The last prowler came out of nowhere charging at Natalie. Elliot ran and pushed Natalie into MRVN while Ajay fired. Natalie and MRVN went stumbling left. Elliot stumbled dropping his gun. Ajay's gun clicked empty as the creature landed behind Elliot, eyeing Ajay. The prowler dashed for Ajay and she ran full force at it. As the prowler jumped at her she slid underneath it, barely clearing the creature as it turned mid jump. She found Elliot's gun and unloaded the entire clip into beast as it landed on top of her. It used its massive claws to tear into her right shoulder and part of her upper chest. Blood went everywhere are MRVN shot the prowler down until it stopped clawing. MRVN cheered, "Yay! We won!"
Ajay lay there as the prowler fell down next to her. She felt like she had the wind knocked out of her as she laid on the cold concrete of the hanger. She heard voices around her, they were distant but they soon became more clear. "I am fine." Elliot reached for her and helped her up and held her up to support her. "Elliot." Natalie gestured as she joined them. Her face was pale but Ajay couldn't seem to figure out why. Elliot gave Natalie a weird look and grew silent. "Come on lets go get cleaned up and get some rest." Ajay nodded and leaned against Elliot as she walked. Natalie stepped around a large pool of blood where Ajay was. She hurried to join them; MRVN was right behind her.
"Hey Elliot?" He stopped as Ajay did, "Yep" She closed her eyes, "I don't feel so good..." She trailed off. Elliot caught her as she collapsed. He quickly picked her up and rushed her off to their living area, Natalie was quickly behind them. He laid her down on the bed, "Natalie there should be a first aid kit in her bag." Natalie quickly dumped Ajay's bag and its contents onto the floor as Elliot began to tear off her hoodie. He stopped momentarily. Her right shoulder and upper chest were macerated and torn down to the muscle and almost bone. She was soaked in her blood and probably the blood of the prowlers that they killed. He tore her shirt and her bra off. He pulled his own shirt off and applied pressure until Natalie could get the first kit open. He was shaking as her looked down at Ajay. Her skin was cold and pale. Natalie touched his shoulder. "If we don't stop the bleeding she will..." Her voice was calm as she held a handful of gauze.
Elliot's voice was a little uneven, "I know. I am trying Natalie!" She saw the worry on his face, "Elliot." She pulled on him. He wouldn't budge. She watched as his shirt soaked up more of Ajay's blood, "Elliot!" His shirt was no longer absorbing blood it was soaping. Natalie pushed Elliot away and quickly climbed on top of Ajay, straddling her legs with her own. She quickly removed his shirt. She took the gauze in her hand and pressured it to Ajay's shoulder to absorb what blood she could. With the other hand she created an electrical current and whispered, "Je suis désolé Ajay..." She gently traced her electrified finger tips down Ajay's shoulder and chest. Ajay's body rustled uncomfortably against her touch. "Elliot, I need your help. Hold her down." Elliot got up on the bed and sat down by her head. He placed his hands on her arms to hold her down while Natalie worked her electrical current up and down Ajay's wound.
Natalie stopped for a moment, "I need something to soak up the blood." Elliot grabbed a pillow behind him and pulled the pillow case off of it. He pressed it firmly against the wound. The bleeding had slowed. Natalie went back to work until the bleeding stopped. Elliot and MRVN went to find more dressing supplies while Natalie stayed with Ajay.
