Chapter Three

While the other Bravos were heading for Kenneth's truck, Kevin was still confined to the chopper. Frankly, he didn't mind it. His feet were up on what amounted to the dashboard, out of the rain, and relaxing. He was using a penlight to read a magazine open on his lap. *Spectacled Babes,* the magazine's title read. And although it didn't strike Kevin as very creative, or even clever, it was certainly accurate – the centrefold model was wearing a pair of wireless glasses, if very little else.

Of course, Kevin only read the magazine for the articles.

A squishing in the mud came from outside. While Kevin didn't have to respond to the order, he still had heard Enrico tell the Bravos to find the jeep. Kevin opened a door, felt a cool, wet breeze hit his face, and leaned out. It was Richard, jogging by, and positively dripping. Kevin gave a thumbs-up to the communications expert. Richard, always cheery, returned the signal with a grin.

Kevin closed the door and settled back into the seat. Suddenly inspired, he took of his helmet and inspected himself in the mirrored goggles. Wisps of piss-yellow hair were evident on his upper lip – he needed a shave. Kevin didn't bother to shave every day; he wasn't a particularly hairy person. Between drooping shoulders, diminutive muscles and a height of five foot four, the former stunt pilot could not be considered by many to be the epitome of masculinity.

The co-pilot donned his helmet, causing the flare gun to jangle. Even though STARS pilots carried two hip holsters – one for a sidearm, the other for the flare pistol – the idiot-proofed signal device had a chain to hang about one's neck. Kevin preferred to wear the pistol in the latter. He recovered his magazine, flipped to a random page, and studied. Reading his horoscope, of course, that was all…

A sound of footsteps came from outside. *That's probably Richard heading for the truck,* Kevin thought to himself. Richard and Kenneth had headed in opposite directions, so obviously Richard would have the longest distance to travel. Kevin didn't envy him. Kevin was proud of his crisp yellow vest and black camo pants, didn't want to track mud and –

Wait – what?

Kevin frowned. A gear had just jammed in his head. He had no idea what, but there was a little voice in Kevin's mind telling him something wasn't computing. Leaving his radio on the seat, he opened the chopper door and stepped outside. Rainwater streamed off his hard helmet and down his visor.

He tilted his head. "Hey! Rick!"

No answer.

Kevin flipped up his visor. It was streaming with water and near opaque. He could feel cold water streaming down his back, but didn't go into the helicopter.

Something here wasn't adding up. Two and two were making pi. He didn't know what…but something was wrong.

Rebecca tried to pick her way through a mess of thorny branches without pricking herself. After a laborious struggle, she made it – and promptly whacked her calf against a downed log, scratching just deep enough to draw blood. "Ow – darn it…" Well, at least she could see Kenneth's discovery, or rather, the squad gathered about it. She could see a couple of circles of light playing along the ground by a dark object, a third flashlight joining them. She'd reach them in under a minute, provided she didn't have to go through any more giant pricker bushes.

Actually, on that note…Rebecca kneeled, wetting her pants knee, and inspected her leg. It wasn't actually dripping blood, but it smarted, and when she brushed her fingertips against the cut they came away red. Still, just a scrape. Didn't even warrant a Band-Aid, in her opinion; she doubted it would actually get infected either. She had gotten worse from her older brother back when she was a kid.

Something whipped by to her side.

Instantaneously her pistol was up in her hand, torch sweeping back and forth. Light shone off of wet leaves, but there was nothing there. There *had* been something, though; she knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. She'd heard it crashing through the underbrush and seen it out of the corner of her eye. Still holding her Beretta out at arm's length with one hand, she reached to her waist and pulled out her radio.

"This is Rebecca…I think there's something out there, request immediate backup, repeat I – "

Rebecca felt movement to her right and turned, just as something quick and dark leapt out of the bushes. She heard barking, swung her pistol, and caught a flash of red and black in the light before firing. The pistol kicked, the shape was knocked to the side – and kept coming. Rebecca fired thrice more, catching the dog a couple of times in the side at barely five feet while one shot scattered a spray of droplets from a puddle. The shape fell to the ground, thrashing, and with one strangled yelp fell motionless. In the shaking light from Rebecca's firearm she could see what appeared to be dog – only wrong somehow –

Enrico, Edward, and Kenneth were already at the truck when their radios went off. Enrico and Edward had theirs out, but Kenneth was still unclipping his when the transmission suddenly shut off and gunshots suddenly began to rain out from the south. Four, split seconds apart, and then a second of silence.

Kenneth immediately wheeled in their direction, eyes wide. He knew which way that was. "Rebecca!" He shouted, droplets spraying wildly.

"Get over there!" Enrico roared, pulling his radio up to his mouth, even as another trio of shots rang out from the trees. "Contact with the enemy, respond immediately!" Kenneth was already sprinting towards the gunshots' origin, tossing his radio aside, Beretta coming up in his hand. He plowed into the forest, branches snapping under the assault of 200+ pounds of muscle, almost as loud as the three gunshots that came next. The large-framed man landed and pivoted, disoriented. The trees played with sound, the rain deadened it, and where the hell was she?! Another trio of Beretta shots went off to his right and Kenneth thought he saw a dark shape fly in mid-air. He charged, branches slapping and slashing his skin. Suddenly, she came into view; Rebecca with her gun held in both hands, water streaming off her. In the split second it took for him to process the sight, what appeared to be a dog leapt. Black blood gushed out of a hole in its side as its jaw clamped down on the medic's forearm. Rebecca cried out, but raised her foot and brought it down on the canine, pinning it to the ground. The barrel of her Beretta jammed up against its skull and Kenneth could see her teeth gritted, face pulled into a savage grimace as she pulled the trigger. Everything above the dog's windpipe exploded in a spray of black and the corpse fell to the ground, among more of its kind.

"Bec!" Kenneth shouted, skidding to a stop in the mud. Rebecca turned towards him, arm pumping red, spent shell casings still falling to the ground.

"Kenneth!" She cried, just beginning to grin, as a black shape came out of the darkness behind her. She spotted his expression and had started to whirl even before he spoke.

"SIX O'CLOCK!" he screamed, arm coming up to point. *In the way, can't fire –* The torch on her handgun danced over the branches, white light illuminating a crimson face on a human body. The circle of light shone on his chest as she fired, one-handed. They were all perfect shots, four holes punched into the chest of the man –

- who didn't stop. And as Rebecca's handgun clicked uselessly the man returned the perfect shots with one of his own, ragged arm slashing out, fingers ending in what looked almost like bone that slashed across her throat. Kenneth saw red spray high in the air as skin was slashed away, blood knifing high into the air, staining the leaves, falling back onto her face, pumping out of her throat and she was gone just like that – eighteen years of med school and no drugs and studying and aced tests and a quick wit and a warm, ready smile, gone.

*No, no* – by the time Rebecca had started to fall the crimson-headed man had halved the distance to Kenneth. Overcome by not a little rage and not a little fear he raised his Beretta, yanking the trigger before he even meant to. Shots went high and one struck it in the shoulder. It didn't slow, just one step away, claw coming forward – and Kenneth, point blank range, corrected its aim and fired into that hideous red face of its. It was a lucky shot, right into the bridge of its nose and he felt a rush of primal joy as the back of its head exploded outward and it was thrown to the ground.

Kenneth leapt for Rebecca's side, already knowing she was dead and gone, and then suddenly wondered just where in hell his backup was. He looked in the direction he came from and saw it.

Enrico and Edward were still by the truck. And they were shooting.

Sweat, colder than the rain soaking his clothes, squeezed out of Kevin's pores. He began to shake as the popping of gunfire, a little at first, then growing came from up the road. He took an involuntary step backward.

*Oh, no.*

Kevin turned and dashed for the chopper. He slipped in the mud, steadied himself against its torn body and ripped open its door. Landing on the pilot's seat, he whirled and slammed the door behind him, locking it. He gripped the armrests of his chair, knuckles turning white, peering out into the grey rain.

For a moment there was nothing. And then…

A growling came from behind him. Eyes wide, he turned in his seat – in time to see the black, large dog leap for his throat. There was no time to move or even block it before it landed heavily on his chest.

Kevin was knocked out of his chair, the dashboard's yoke jabbing into his right kidney as his back hit the dashboard. He turned his head to the side as its jaws lashed downward; its teeth slashed his cheek but missed his jugular. He threw the dog to the side, it landing in the co-pilot seat as he dived for the back of the chopper's body. His hand just brushed one of the Berettas lining the wall when his leg was yanked backwards. He crashed, chin hitting the floor, stars exploding in his eyes. He cried out in pain as he felt teeth rip at his calf, felt the wetness of his own blood. Desperately, he kicked back with his other leg. His heel flailed uselessly for a second before hitting it around the eyes, crushing its nose, whacking its shoulder. He slammed it against the side of the seat. Nothing worked. The dog worked its jaw, slicing deeper into Kevin's leg.

But as its teeth shifted, the co-pilot had a split second to throw himself upward, clawing at the wall. Both hands found purchase on the stocks of Berettas before he was yanked downward again. His grip held and the pistols popped off the wall. Landing on his elbows, he thumbed both of their safeties before attempting to roll over onto his back. The dog's grip held firm and Kevin could only turn halfway, at the waist, but that was all he needed. The Berettas came to bear on the canine's flank as Kevin fired. A total of five shots punctured the dog's lung and exited the other side, mixing with Kevin's on the floor. Three more went wide.

Still holding the pistols in both hands, Kevin kicked the corpse off his legs. God, his leg hurt so MUCH! He reached down and gripped the red, torn limb, blood seeping out between his fingers. He reached up and grabbed one armrest. Bleeding, bad, had to get to Rebecca, had to –

And his radio fell off the seat, bouncing on the metal floor. It was vibrating like mad. He snatched it up, turned it on –

"The mansion!" Enrico's shout came in loud through the static. "We're being overwhelmed, go for the mansion, it's our only chance!"

Kevin was near a state of panic. Jamming the two Berettas in his twin holsters, he grabbed the radio and kicked open the co-pilot door. He took one step out, landed on his injured leg, and nearly collapsed. He couldn't walk like this - ! It was just so painful – he couldn't run, he couldn't –

A dog's howling rose up over the sound of rainfall. It was nearby.

Kevin ran.

Edward turned and, still running backwards, fired four shots into the chasing dogs. He was moving, and they were moving, but one still hit. The dog jerked and kept coming. Edward turned and continued to run forward.

A pack of dogs, way too many to deal with – they greatly outnumbered Enrico and Edward, Kenneth ahead and trailed by Richard. Kenneth crashed through the leaves and left broken branches in his wake, clearing a path for the others and the barking dogs behind them. Edward slipped and nearly fell, surprised, as something big and black zipped in front of his face. It came around for another run, but Edward swung his fist and smacked it out of the air. It was a crow. He continued to run, Richard landing on the wounded bird's ribs.

"I see it!" Enrico pointed, still running, at the growing shape ahead. As Edward looked, he saw the boxy shape grow shadowy features. It was the mansion. Edward's pistol came up to shoot as crashing came to his left, was about to shoot – when he saw a flash of blue, a glint of metal, and realized he was looking at Forest. His silhouette was disguised by the grenade launcher on his back.

Forest, still to the right, charged ahead, slipping between trees like a snake. His feet pounded the ground, sprinting on the balls of his feet. The mansion was barely visible in front of the group. The dogs couldn't be very far behind. Shadows and artificial light flashed upon Forest's broad back as he dashed for the abandoned building. Mud was kicked up under his boots.

The rest of the squad followed, the dogs pounding in their boot prints two seconds later. Edward could feel his lungs burning, breath coming in ragged gasps. He prayed he wouldn't slip in the mud, knowing he'd be dead before he could get up…

Kenneth had pulled ahead of Forest, but the group as a whole couldn't be more than a hundred feet from the mansion. They were ahead of the dogs, and Kenneth knew they would make it, they had to make it, when a pitiful crying came from the trees to the right. Forest turned to the side and saw a flash of yellow – Kevin Dooley – through wet leaves, a desperate look on his face.

"Wait! Wait!" He was limping, badly at that, and Forest could see dark shapes in the trees behind him. No way he was going to make it, not like that. That was why Forest, pursued by dogs, skidded to a stop and leapt between two pines, pulling the grenade launcher off his back. The dogs were only metres behind Kevin when the first grenade whistled by his side and exploded. Kevin was jarred, but didn't fall; the animals were thrown to the side.

"Forest! What are you do – " Edward began to speak, but was pushed forward by Enrico. "He's covering us! Let him be, he knows what he's doing!"

Richard saw Kevin hobbling as fast as he could past Forest, who released another grenade into the dog hordes as backtracked rapidly. Richard turned, pumped his shotgun, and fired. A dog was thrown off its feet. It rose again, but caught the edge of another buckshot blast and staggered.

Kenneth thundered up the dilapidated porch, grabbed both doors, and yanked them open. Sickly yellow light spilled out and over him. He stumbled inside, turning. Edward broke the tree line and flew up the steps, Enrico on his heels.

As Kevin came into view, hopping forward on one good leg and one limp member, he was backlit by a sudden flash of orange fire. In the split-second on light Kenneth could see everything – Forest and Richard, both firing, both back-pedalling at a frantic pace. As the glow died he saw Richard turn, holding his shotgun to his chest, running for the mansion.

The next blast showed several corpses, two of them humanoid – and literally dozens if not scores of the dogs, closer to Forest than ever. They were charging forward madly, heedless of the death raining down on them. A tree continued to burn, rain-soaked as it was, illuminating the sniper in flickering light as he jumped backwards, yanking at the grenade ammunition about his torso. He was empty. Kevin bounced up the steps as Enrico jumped out the door, standing on the porch with his hands to his mouth, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"LEAVE IT! DROP IT, RUN, RUN!!!" Speyer threw the grenade launcher downward, whipped around, and sprinted as if his life depended on it – which it did. Dogs barked, bounded after him, ten metres back if that. He ran as if on feathered feet for the mansion, the growling reapers close behind.

Richard, by now at the foot of the porch steps, whirled, bringing the shotgun to bear, but it was pointless. It was too far off, impossible not to hit the vehicle expert, and the orange-shirted man turned and ran up the steps and through the door.

The rain was spraying Enrico in the face, but he didn't seem to notice. Streams of water fell from his chin, droplets scattering as he stood and yelled. "Go, Forest, go, c'mon buddy, move move move, run, run, RUN FOREST RUN!!!" Kenneth reached out, grabbed his arm, and yanked. Enrico staggered back into the house but didn't stop bellowing. Forest was on the jets, going warp, full steam. His legs pumped like pistons, his arms jackknifed up and down and he nearly flew across the ground. But the dogs were faster and practically on his heels. The lead lunged for his boot, but its jaws closed with a metallic snap just inches away. It was thrown off balance, fell to the grass, and was immediately trampled by its followers.

They were too close, they were in his sphere of comfort at this point and he was still fifty feet from the mansion. "He won't make it," shouted Edward suddenly, hating himself but knowing it was true. "We have to close the doors, he's not going to make it!"

"Wait!" Enrico held up a hand. "Kenneth, Edward, grab the doors, but don't close until MY SIGNAL." His finger was up, his muscles quivering, an expression of intensity on his face. "Wait…"

Forest broke the tree barrier, jumping over a log, dogs following suit before he hit the ground. He landed running, eyes blazing, every vein on his body standing out in freakish detail. "NOW, DO IT NOW!" Enrico's finger came down. "COME ON FOREST, COME ON – "

Kenneth and Edward reacted immediately, but the doors were big and they had to grunt, putting everything they had into it as the doors were finally swinging shut, Enrico's call becoming a simple, primal yell as the a blue streak dived through the door, and its black boots passed through the crack just as the two heavy wooden doors slammed together. There were several heavy blows on the wood before its inertia was even killed. Thumps and some cracks rained on the doors for two seconds before a deafening tapestry of growls, barks and howls came from the opposite side.

Forest rolled on the ground, Enrico collapsed to his knees, and Kevin whimpered, cradling his leg. But they had made it to the mansion. They were safe…

And they were trapped.