Horror of the Enemy

This is a nightmare.

The first thing to catch her attention was the surreal amount of bodies littering every space that could be found. The trails and smears of blood left behind clues of what had transpired and was no help in relieving the imaginations in her mind. Neera barely could move as Machiko and Hiroki took the lead, guns aimed and poised for anything. With great reluctance, Neera stayed close behind and tried to keep her eyes straight ahead. Easier said than done.

Most of the corpses were torn apart, bones shattered and limbs thrown everywhere. Others were hanging on edges of broken concrete, frozen in their last dying moments. It was hard to look away and the concentrated, putrid smell made things worse.

"What . . . happened here?" Hiroki was brave enough to break the silence.

"I don't know," Machiko spoke, "But it looks like our guys put up a fight before they died. See?"

She flashed the light to a nearby wall full of bullet holes of various sizes scattered everywhere like they shot without precision, a sign that they panicked. Still, the air put off a thick sensation of dread . . . like something was off.

"Yeah. But this is a massacre," Neera stopped and trembled at a pile of bodies with a small hand sticking out, "Oh shit . . ."

"What?"

She pointed and both Hiroki and Machiko froze as well, "That jacket . . ." Poking out through the pile, she recognized the blue clothing and she felt the blood of her face drain, "It's . . . Ted."

"Ted?" Hiroki almost squeaked, "That's Aaron's and Janice's boy!"

"Yeah . . ." Machiko took a look around, finally putting a hidden puzzle piece that was sticking out underneath their noses, "The majority are civilians. They must have come through here for safety. It makes sense why we didn't hear anything with these double layered concrete."

The conversation was all a buzz to Neera, the thought of children and parents being slaughtered was one thing but not knowing what killed them scared her more. Her imagination ran wild with only the image of the black skeletal hand reaching out with ill intent. That's no creature . . . It's the Devil I tell you. She held herself from looking back. Is that thing responsible for this too?

A cold chill ran down the side of her shoulder through her jacket and shirt, almost wet as well. Neera's breath quivered at the similarity of the recent incident. Slowly and without looking, she touched where the wetness was and felt a cold and hot slim between her fingers. Oh no . . .

She wished she hadn't tilted her head to the ceiling. The light revealed a thick web of black and clear . . . and then the horrid sight that made her gasp and then scream, "Shit!"

"What!?" Hiroki and Machiko came right to her side as she tripped and landed on her ass, "Neera! What's wrong?"

She didn't have the strength to speak, the sight petrified her so she could only raise a finger to the ceiling. Hiroki and Machiko followed, the same expression written on their faces, "Holy shit . . ."

Stuck to the ceiling by the strange sticky substance, a body hung facing down with eyes glazed over by rigor mortis like it had been there for hours if not longer. The strange characteristic they noticed was the gaping hole in the middle of the chest, ribs sticking out and heart half eaten along with the rest of the internal organs.

"What the fuck?" Machiko has her mouth opened wide like a bass fish. She moved the flashlight and noticed another body, and then another. Pretty soon, they realized that the whole ceiling was littered with them, the same internal injuries and in the same position. It brought a chill to everyone.

"Do you know what could have done this?" Machiko asked, expecting a half answer if less.

"No," Hiroki picked up Neera, "Hey. Do you know if Dr. Revna had any information on this?"

Neera had to take a moment to process, keeping her eyes down in fear, "Nnn . . . No . . . Nothing of this caliber."

"I know you don't want to but we need to keep going," Neera barely heard Machiko as she came to her side. There was a pause, mostly she thought that Machiko tried to come up with some sort of speech for relief but none, "Do you know how to shoot?"

"What?"

Machiko reached behind and pulled out a VP78 pistol. Neera had to hold herself from shaking when she was handed the gun, "It's not much but better to have three with weapons than one with nothing."

She swallowed a dry gulp that scratched the lining of her throat. She had a few times of training with firearms but that was it on her experience belt. Plus the fact that she carried a loaded weapon in a state of panic and fear, she was a ticking time bomb with one mistake away from absolute disaster.

Hiroki patted her shoulder, "We need to keep moving. It's going to be okay." It was a small reassurance and with a deep swallow and a nod, Neera and the others went ahead into the Hellhole.

She directed them as much as her memory could serve, picking the middle tunnel that she remembered ran under the adjacent building where backup labs and storage were located. The horrors, however, didn't end at the junction. Everything from the ceiling, to the floor and the walls were covered in bodies with the same hole in their chests and then the rest lying like pieces of meat. The nightmare wouldn't stop and Neera had little time before all the content of her stomach came out.

"This just keeps going," Hiroki said.

"I know," Machiko whispered.

Through the pile of bodies and rotten flesh and blood, they reached another junction and a metal ladder at the end that stretched to a helm. Neera's body almost dropped in exhausted relief. Now we can get out of this Hellhole. She moved past Machiko and Hiroki, power walking to get there first.

"Neera! Stay with us."

She slowed down but didn't stop, the need to leave this dark place clouded her judgement. When Machiko called out again, she turned around but kept walking in a backward motion, "We're almost to the exit. I can't stand being here any longer."

"Neera. Listen to Machiko. It's not safe!"

"Come on! We're almost—"

Every fiber of her body suspended in time and her blood ran cold like she was injected with ice, her eyes enlarged as she stared at Machiko and Hiroki with their guns poised to whatever was above her. She didn't need to ask . . . she already knew the moment she heard a sound that was frightfully familiar. That . . .

She felt the ground quake under her feet as she heard a loud thud from behind. Neera swallowed, reading Machiko's lips. Don't move.

Neera shuddered as a hiss echoed in the empty tunnels, dangerously close behind her, at least a few feet away if not less. Her lips quivered, arms and legs trembling to the point of falling apart as she heard it slither across the floor. When she felt its breath glide between the strands of her hair, Neera couldn't resist to look at it.

Slowly, her neck twisted as far as it could. Her sights followed the black silhouette that towered over her, the skeletal structure of its body like it was a corpse, the barbed tail swinging back and forth, and then finally its face. It bore no eyes but displayed its teeth in anger attached to an elongated head. If she didn't know it yet, she thought she was in Hell the moment she came face to face with this abomination.

Kainde amedha . . .

She never heard that word before, nor understood it but the familiarity that it meant danger was there. Where did that come from? The creature lowered to a crouch until it threw its head toward the ceiling as Neera backed away slowly.

And then it screeched, charging at her.

"SHOOT IT!"

Neera reacted as quickly as she could, aiming the pistol right as it pushed her to the ground. It hissed once more and opened its mouth to reveal another set of jaws that came straight at her.

She panicked and pulled the trigger . . . just as it plunged its mouth at her head.

Dachande didn't get much sleep, being as the oomans kept coming in and out to observe him or take sample. He growled in warning each time they brought their puny weapon they called a syringe or at least his recordings said so. It stung and it only enraged him even more. The female with the white coat always attended, ensuring everything didn't go haywire. He sensed compassion and calmness in her, unnatural for his species but apparently an annoyance to the ones in charge, specifically the own with the weird garment on its head.

After an eternity, things seemed to quiet down and he heard no more oomans, save for the female. Dachande closed his eyes, half being he needed sleep and the other from his injuries acting up. His chest was still sore but he could breathe easier, no doubt his ribs that were discovered broken were healing, a good sign but not enough. And I have to figure out a way to get my awu'asa and dtai'thas, and then get out of here.

Just when his body relaxed, the female came back again and opened the noisy door with the irritating male once more. Dachande gave a soft growl so as to discourage them from approaching. They got the message and stopped a few feet away, speaking in their native tongue that was beyond his capacity to understand their complex speech. Dr. Revna, I urge you to think about this before you make a rash decision.

Ackland . . . as much as I'm part of the company, I can't accept giving up my patient until I ensure his health and safety.

He's a specimen and a beast. Nothing more. You studied him well enough that there's nothing else to do but hand him off to Chigusa Corporation and be done with it.

But—

But nothing. We're already under attack by an unknown assailant that's picking off the civilians and personnel one by one. When we kill off the motherfucker and this is behind us, you will have to choose between that thing or your career. For now, help with the sick and wounded.

The male left abruptly and the female's demeanor changed. He didn't have much knowledge of ooman behavior and had no interest in learning anytime soon but he could smell her scent and could taste the ch'hkt-a around her. She headed for one of the tables with vials of unknown liquids and the dead pki'tle that she took apart. Leaning over, her head dipped low and a few strands of her oily mane came loose.

What do I do? Oh Keshar . . . I wish you were here.

He snorted, and it inadvertently grabbed her attention. Dachande snarled but it didn't deter the female from coming to stare at him. He made sure through his glare that she wasn't welcomed. What are you looking at, ooman?

Such a waste. We could have learned so much about each other. And now this . . .

Their silent 'conversation' was suddenly shattered by screaming and shots fired from the other room and the female gasped, running to the door to be met with an armed ooman. Doctor! You need to stay here!

Why?! What's going on!?

There's another attack! We think the creature is making another attempt at getting in and—

The female and the warrior froze and then gazed through the cracked door. Another ooman ran inside, huffing as if he ran a mile to get to them. We have survivors! They're coming through the barricade!

Who is it? The female demanded.

The soldier seemed hesitant, as if he feared what would possibly happen if he spoke it. After a minute, he leaned into the female's ear so Dachande couldn't see. What are they talking about?

The female pulled back, stunned and shocked. It's them!?

The soldier nodded. I'm certain. But one is injured and in need of help.

The white coated female pushed the soldiers aside and left the room with the males in pursuit. He was alone again, left to his thoughts of what happened. He shouldn't be concerned about it, given that they won't last much longer if the kainde amedha are around, no doubt about it since they're studying one of their own. Why should I care? They'll be dead soon. And I got bigger fish to fry. He snorted and closed his eyes again.

Neera . . .

Dachande shuddered, a coldness ran through his veins as he heard it. Who's that? He shook his head, thinking his mind was playing with him. He let himself drift back to sleep until it was time.

But that name . . . His mandibles vibrated softly. Why is it so familiar?

Hi everyone!

Lots of tension and fear in this chapter as the Xenemorphs have made their debut on HAA, and you know what that mean . . . more blood and death will be coming and the poor souls who have become hosts. It makes me shudder just thinking about that.

More is to come but will everyone survive? And what is it that Dachande knows? Secrets run deeper than you can think. Keep on reading and I thank all of you for the support.

Good Hunting! ;)

Awu'asa = Armor

Ch'hkt-a = Anxious

Dtai'thas = Weapons

Pki'tle = Facehugger