Animorphs: Hunting Game
3: New Blood
Above the school
Following their meeting that morning, Tobias had decided to fly over town. He was looking for a clue as to where the Predator and his base might be, but so far he was having no luck. After all, trying to see an alien who's almost completely invisible was no easy task, even with hawk eyes. However, Tobias wasn't in the mood to give up. After what he'd seen yesterday, he couldn't really afford to. He was scared, a feeling that he was quite unused to. Until now, all he'd been scared of was failing or losing his friends. This thing, however, had him really scared. He knew the others were too, even Rachel, although he knew she'd never admit to it. Any sane person would be scared given what it had done to the Yeerks. The sooner this thing left or got killed, the better. He finished his overhead patrol of the school and decided to move on.
At least everything's ok there, he thought, hey what the hell's that? He'd noticed a shimmering on one of the buildings near the school. He'd thought it was heat haze until it moved suddenly, almost too quickly for even his eyes to follow. He tracked it carefully, seeing it land on the school roof, and flew in for a closer look. At closer range, he could easily see that it was no effect of the heat. It stood eight foot tall and had a person-like shape to it. There was only one thing it could be.
OH SHIT!
Inside the school, main corridor: same time
Rachel was standing next to her locker, deep in thought like Tobias had been. She was normally fearless, or psycho as Marco would have put it, and always looking forward to the next battle. Not this time, however. She'd never admit this to the others, but she was dead scared. She was no longer in control of things like she was used to. She was usually the hunter and the Yeerks were the prey. Now that she was the prey and being hunted by something worse than the Yeerks could ever hope to be, she was scared. Trying to work out what she should do next, she suddenly noticed a blond-haired kid coming toward her down the corridor.
It can't be! she thought. We left him trapped in the construction site as a rat! She looked closer and saw that her worries were unfounded. It wasn't David.
It was, in fact, Ryan. He was the newest kid in the school and not one of the most outgoing either. He resented the fact that he had been forced to move clean across the country and leave all he'd known behind. He had only just started to fit in back home and now he had to start all over again. Then he noticed Rachel staring at him with a shocked/scared expression.
Oh great, he thought, I've only been here a few days and I've spooked someone already.
"Um, are you ok?" he asked Rachel, warily.
Rachel quickly jerked back to her senses again. "Uh, yeah I'm fine. Sorry I thought you were someone else." She then moved quickly away toward Marco and Cassie who were watching them from the other end of the hall.
Ryan watched her go, somewhat confused, and then turned away.
Marco grinned as Rachel came toward them. "What was that all about? Has Xena finally got a hot date?"
"Shut it, Marco" Rachel snarled, slugging him hard in the arm with her fist.
"OWW! Ok take it easy!" Marco demanded angrily. "I'm not your punch bag! What is it with you?"
"Sorry Marco," Rachel apologised. "I just thought that guy was David. I guess this thing has me on edge."
"Let's just get to class, ok?" Cassie, as ever, was acting as peacemaker since Jake wasn't around yet.
"Yeah, whatever," Marco grumbled, "it's not like there's going to be any trouble here, is there? I mean he doesn't know where we are now, does he?"
He couldn't have been more wrong.
The Predator was, in fact, in the very same hall clinging to the ceiling like a spider. He was still cloaked so even if anyone had looked up they probably wouldn't have seen him. He quickly detected the three Animorphs below by their speech and heat signatures. He decided to take the male first as they were usually the leaders. He armed his shoulder gun and started aiming with the red triangle that had appeared in his vision. He soon had a solid lock on the back of Marco's head…
…Just at the same time as one of the school bullies, Drake, 'accidentally' barged into Marco and sent him sprawling onto the floor. Unfortunately for Drake, this was the last thing he ever did, as the Predator's shot blew his head clean off. He collapsed in a spray of blood. Then the screams started.
Outside
Jake, running a little late, had just arrived outside school when he was almost knocked down by a flood of screaming kids coming out of the door.
Jake!. He saw Tobias land nearby. That thing's in there! I saw it on the roof, It's onto us!
"Oh crap! I'm going in after them. You go and get Ax and get back here fast!" With that, Jake raced into the building, hoping that he wasn't too late…
Inside
Marco, quickly realising that he had been the target, jumped to his feet and ran to one of the side doors and flung it open. Rachel and Cassie were close behind. All three ran through into an empty classroom just as another blue bolt slammed into the spot they had been standing on a second ago. The Predator kept firing, hoping for a lucky shot. However, his luck was out as his prey escaped out of the corridor. All he succeeded in doing was killing three more kids with his wild shots. He de-cloaked, disarmed his gun, dropped to the floor and started moving toward the door where his prey had escaped. He ignored the surviving kids and teachers who were running for the exits. They were no threat or challenge.
Meanwhile Marco, Rachel and Cassie were ripping off their excess clothing and shoes and were starting to morph. They knew there was a big risk of being seen but that was better than being dead. Marco was morphing to gorilla, Rachel to bear and Cassie to wolf. Cassie completed her morph first since she was the best morpher. Then the Predator punched his way through the door to confront them. The others had almost finished morphing but not quite.
Cassie bared her teeth. Finish morphing, I'll slow him down! she screamed and leapt for the Predator's throat.
Cassie, wait! Rachel screamed back.
It was too late. The Predator easily dodged Cassie's lunge and sent her flying across the room with a savage kick. She hit the wall hard and broke a leg, putting her out of the fight. Her scream of pain echoed through the heads of the others as they finished morphing.
Rachel was enraged by Cassie's injury.
Hold on, Cassie, I'll stomp this thing for you! she thought and advanced on the Predator, ready to tear him limb from limb. The Predator merely raised his right arm and the next thing she knew she was pinned to the wall by a massive net. It was metal and was tearing into her flesh due to her size. Pinning her however had taken time, more than enough time for Marco to run in and punch him hard. The Predator was sent flying back across the room. He smashed through the wall back into the corridor and ended up flat on his back.
Ha-ha! Who needs Superman when Gorilla Boy's here! Marco quipped; though he was rubbing his fist. Damn, that hurt!
Marco, get me outta here! Rachel screamed.
She was in considerable pain. The net was metal and was cutting deep into virtually every part of her and her size was making it all the worse. Cassie had demorphed to human, although she was still shaky on her feet. Both she and Marco tried to pull off the net, but it wouldn't budge despite Marco's strength. All they received for their efforts were cuts in their hands.
Shit! I can't get you free, Rachel. I need some cutters or something. I'll see if I can get... oh MAN!
He'd looked out into the corridor and saw the Predator getting up again. He didn't look badly hurt either.
Keep trying to get her out, I'll stall him! Marco shouted and flung himself out into the corridor to face the Predator.
The Predator was now back on his feet and was in a fighting stance. Marco quickly copied him. However, neither one seemed willing to make the first move. Both were just standing off, studying each other coldly. For the first time, Marco was able to get a good look at his enemy. He was eight feet tall and he was built like a Mack truck. His entire body appeared was covered in wire mesh and armour plates. A silver mask covered his face and his hair, well; it looked more like he had black snakes growing from his head than hair. He had punched the Predator hard enough to floor two Hork-Bajir, but he showed no sign of bleeding or being hurt. All this led Marco to one simple conclusion: he was in real trouble. His confidence increased slightly, though, when he noticed who was behind the Predator at the end of the hall in tiger morph.
Ok, you freak, let's rock! Marco screamed and hurled himself at the Predator.
This time, the Predator blocked him easily and hit back with a punch that sent Marco reeling backwards. He followed this up with a heavy kick to Marco's midsection and sent him flying back into the lockers, then he drew his wrist blades and slashed Marco viciously across the chest. Marco screamed in pain and dropped to his knees, defenceless. The Predator was just about to execute the killing strike when Jake jumped onto his back and sank his teeth into his shoulder. The Predator roared in rage and pain and threw himself backward into the lockers, knocking the wind out of Jake and forcing him to lose his grip. The Predator turned, grabbed Jake by the throat and cut deep into him with his wrist blades, slicing his belly open.
AAAAAAHHH!
Jake, demorph! Marco shouted.
Seeing his best friend hurt so badly had given Marco added strength. He got to his feet dripping blood and ran into battle again. The Predator, seeing this, forgot about killing Jake and hurled him across the corridor just when he was demorphing. Jake's wounds, which were almost mortal, were healed and erased in the morph. However he had demorphed in mid-air so it was not a tiger but a 13 year old boy who slammed into the lockers headfirst with a resounding CRACK! He hit the floor, blood oozing from his forehead, and didn't get up again.
Outside the school
Outside there was total chaos. Four kids were dead, many more were unaccounted for and it sounded like all hell was breaking loose inside. Teachers were trying to get some semblance of order but they were having no success. They eventually decided just to wait for the police and emergency services to arrive; this sort of thing didn't come into their job descriptions. But they did fail to prevent one other person from getting inside. He was a man in his mid-forties. He was over six-foot tall and well built. He was dressed in black from head to toe and, most importantly, he had a pump-action shotgun. Oddly enough, no one felt like trying to stop him.
Main Corridor
Meanwhile Marco and Cassie were fighting a losing battle. Cassie was back in her wolf morph and The Predator was bleeding now, adding luminous green blood to the mass of red that stained the corridor. But, of the three, he was still in the best shape. Marco still had the huge slash across his chest as he hadn't had time to demorph and Cassie was also bleeding from her side. Still, they were doing their level best to keep the Predator from killing Jake and Rachel (still trapped by the net) and themselves at the same time. However, luck and fate weren't on their side that day. Marco lunged at the Predator, hoping to distract him so Cassie could get a free strike. The Predator anticipated this, knocked Marco off his feet and caught Cassie in mid-leap. He then smashed her into the wall. Cassie saw stars, then nothing. Marco tried to get back into the fight but he was far too slow. The Predator launched another net and Marco was pinned to the lockers. He then raised both arms and roared in triumph.
All too easy, he thought callously, I had expected better. He drew his wrist blades again and advanced on Jake, who was still lying motionless. Time for the spoils.
"Hey asshole!"
The Predator looked up and saw another human. A large human. A large human holding a large shotgun. He tried to activate his shoulder gun but it was too late. The man fired. And fired. And fired.
The man with the shotgun had arrived just in time to see Marco and Cassie go down and the Predator was about to start skinning Jake. He didn't know where the wolf and gorilla had come from or why they were fighting but he knew what the Predator was. He had a distinct hatred for the Predator race. Therefore he grinned in pleasure as he fired five rounds into it. Each round punched through its body mesh, flinging it backward and causing it to bleed. It crashed to the ground on its back oozing green blood from the five holes in its chest. He quickly ran over to Jake and checked his pulse. He was still alive. Good. He'd carry him out first. The animals would have to wait. He slung Jake over his shoulder and was moving toward the exit when he heard a roar of rage and pain from behind.
Oh shit!
He looked round and saw the Predator getting up again.
I should have known better than that! These things sure don't die that easy do they?
"Ok, ugly" He snarled. "You want a trophy? Come get it!"
Still carrying Jake, he ran down the corridor and flew out of the front door.
The Predator, enraged and in pain, picked itself up and then raced after his newest enemy. He was still bleeding but this did not seem to slow him down.
On the roof
Tobias and Ax had just arrived on the roof in their bird morphs. Ax demorphed to his usual form.
Better morph to human, Ax Tobias advised. You can't afford to be seen like that.
I have no choice Ax said. I will be no match for the Predator as a human.
I think that point has just become moot, Tobias added, looking down towards the ground.
Ax looked down and saw the others' mysterious rescuer running out of the school towards the woods, knocking down anyone who tried to stop him or who got in his way. Thirty seconds later the front door flew off its hinges as the Predator charged through it and raced after him. It wasn't interested in any of the kids and teachers who ran from it screaming in terror, it just raced through them and kept up its pursuit.
That human was carrying Prince Jake! Ax said worriedly.
That thing's after them too! Tobias said, just as concerned. I'll go after them. Ax-man, go see if the others are ok.
Very well, Tobias. Do not fight that Predator unless you have to. He is a formidable adversary.
I noticed that, Ax Tobias said sarcastically. He then flew off after the Predator at top speed.
Ax charged into the building, not bothering to morph. He knew that he should have done, but his concern for the others weighed more heavily on his mind. He found them on the ground floor. They were still alive but in a great deal of pain. Ax had to use his tail-blade to free Marco and then Rachel, who were still 'netted'. Rachel was hurt the most. The net had sliced her open in a dozen places.
Demorph quickly, Rachel Ax advised. He was stunned by the extent of his friends' wounds and appalled that he had not come in time to help.
Cassie and Marco had already demorphed. They were no longer physically wounded but they looked exhausted.
"Man, I hit that thing with everything I had and he still kicked my butt!" Marco sighed as he watched Rachel return to human form. "Could things get any worse?"
A sudden gasp came from behind them. They looked round and saw Ryan, staring at them all, especially Ax. During the battle, he hadn't managed to make it outside. The Predator had almost killed him twice. He'd nearly had his head blown off by a shoulder gun bolt so he'd hid inside his locker in the corridor. Then he'd almost had his throat sliced open when the Predator had taken a wild swing with his wrist blades and sliced through the locker door. Afterward he'd staggered out of his locker, down the corridor and then saw a severely wounded bear become the girl whom he'd freaked out earlier and a blue deer with a scorpion tail. All this was just too much for Ryan. He collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.
"You were saying, Marco?" Rachel sneered just as she returned to human.
"Oh crap!" Marco spat. This wasn't turning out to be one of his better days.
"Where's Jake?" Cassie exclaimed, suddenly remembering what had happened during the battle.
Another human carried off Prince Jake and the Predator went after them both. Tobias is tracking them now Ax replied.
"Then let's get after them!" Cassie screamed and started to run for the door. Rachel grabbed her before she could get away.
"Forget it Cassie, we won't get there in time to make any difference. Besides, we have a new problem," she said looking at Ryan.
"She's right, Cassie. What could we do, anyway? We're all whipped and we've got to make sure that kid doesn't start telling everyone about a blue deer and a bear that became a girl. Ax, morph to human now. We can't have anyone else seeing you."
Ax morphed to human while Marco went over to Ryan.
"Give me a hand. We'll take him with us out the back."
They lifted Ryan up and escaped out the back way, just as the emergency services arrived at the front.
Just out of town: near the river
The man carrying Jake was exhausted. He had run for what had seemed like miles and he still hadn't reached the woods yet. He wasn't as young as he had been during his army days. If he hadn't kept working out all these years he probably would have collapsed a lot sooner. He knew the Predator couldn't be far behind. Those things gave a whole new meaning to the word persistent. He still had his shotgun, but he wasn't confident of winning even with that.
He came to the river's edge. It consisted mostly of mud due to the extreme heat of the past few days.
Great! Wading across that'll slow me down some, he thought miserably.
Then he suddenly remembered one vital detail. He quickly ripped off Jake's T-shirt and slung him into the mud, stripped off his top and jumped in after him. He then covered them both in mud from head to toe.
Ok, try finding us now you ugly bastard!
The Predator was not far behind. If it hadn't been bleeding it probably would have caught up much sooner. It soon reached the riverbank when he suddenly realised he couldn't see his prey any longer. All he could see was a mass of blue, no red or orange heat signatures at all. Unbeknownst to him, the two he sought were just below him in the river mud but they weren't registering on his vision. He scanned the area several times but he still did not find them. The pain in his wounds was also getting more intense. Snorting in disgust, the Predator cloaked again and moved away. He would return to his base, heal himself and start again. His prey couldn't hide forever.
Sooner or later I'll be adding their skulls to my collection, he promised himself, striding away toward the town.
The man watched him cloak and leave.
Just like the last one, it can only see our heat! He smiled and pulled himself and Jake out of the mud. Jake was groaning and was starting to come round.
"Take it easy," the man said. "It's gone. Sorry about the mud pack, but I had to cover our body heat."
"Wh-Who are you?" gasped Jake. He was confused and disorientated. His head was splitting with pain and he had woken up covered in mud in a riverbed.
The big man helped him up gently.
"I'm Colonel Schaefer, kid. But my friends just call me Dutch…"
TO BE CONTINUED…