Dixon opened his eyes and scowled. "Does anyone else feel as though this is all careening out of control?"
"No," Evans answered.
The security guards exchanged glances, mutually decided it was a rhetorical question, and remained silent.
"C'mon, Gerry, we've got four dragons in the bag out of a possible six. Only minor injuries so far. The Echthroi are happy because their kids are coming home safely. Thor may actually decide S.H.I.E.L.D.'s not the Evil Empire he's been making us out to be. The mutant colony down here won't have to worry about being anything's meal any more. The dragons get a new home." Evans leaned against a wall and watched Dixon through half-closed eyes. "What's not to love about all this?"
Dixon began ticking the answers off on his fingers. "We have a dead Water and Sewer Department employee who apparently worked for the mob in his spare time. We have Spider-man running around loose down here in the middle of a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation that he doesn't have clearance for. We have a reporter who is known for his interest in sewer monsters actually meeting said sewer monsters."
"The Echthroi have taken care of that, Gerry. He's going to wake up in the hospital with a muddled set of memories."
Dixon suddenly looked thoughtful. "Which are the result of several unusual chemicals in his bloodstream, which could be explained... by the fact that his would-be assailant slipped him something before taking him down into the tunnel." Dixon paced up and down the open space for a few moments. "So any odd memories can be chalked up to illegal drugs. Urich managed to elude his attacker, a couple of department personnel found him, and Archer disappeared to avoid reprisals." He nodded. "This could work."
"That's the spirit," Evans told him. She glanced at the opening to the medical area. "And while we're waiting for our resident heroes to come back with their quarry, I'm going to go get a glass of orange juice and some crackers, then sit down before I fall down, since I'm going to have to get back in the link at least twice more before this is over."
Dixon shook his head. "I still wish we had insisted on another S.H.I.E.L.D. contact person for the Echthroi for this."
"It's all right, Gerry. The idea was to have as few people down here as possible, remember? I'll be fine as long as I rest." She jerked her head slightly. "I'll go keep Ben Urich company while we're waiting."
"So he can see you, too?"
"This is all going to be a dream for him. Or, if I'm in it, more like a nightmare." Evans gave him a wan smile and walked toward the back of the base camp in search of her juice and crackers. A few minutes later, still chewing, she carried her glass into the medical area, pulled a chair up next to Urich's bed, and sipped at her orange juice. At last she rested her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes.
"I found them."
Evans opened her eyes; Urich was watching her. "Found what?" she asked.
"The monsters."
"Really? Sounds scary."
"No, there's nothing to be scared of. They're nice monsters," Urich assured her. His words were noticeably slurred, and he didn't seem the least bit surprised to see her sitting there.
Evans took another sip of her orange juice. "Doesn't the paper have some kind of rule against drinking while you're on the clock, Mr. Urich?"
Urich lay back and chuckled. "Haven't touched a drop since last weekend," he said. "The monsters are here. I bet," he said, speaking slowly and pronouncing his words carefully, "that if we turn out the light, you'll see them."
"Hiding under the bed?" Evans asked dryly.
"Maybe. Maybe on the other side of those curtains. Want to find out?"
Evans gazed at the curtains across the "room" from them, a smile spreading across her face. "Okay. Let's find out." She glanced at Urich, a conspiratorial look on her face, and reached up to snap off the light.
For a few moments, they waited. Urich shifted position to prop himself up on one elbow. There was a soft pattering sound, and a small dark shape appeared in the doorway, quickly followed by a second. "Look," Urich whispered. "There they are."
"Well, well, what do you know," Evans murmured. "You were right after all."
"Yeah." He paused. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You're not scared? You don't have to be scared of them, they won't hurt you."
"No, I'm not scared. They don't seem particularly scary."
"Do you think we could get them to come closer?"
"I think that could be arranged." At that moment, one of the adults appeared in the doorway behind the youngsters. Undoubtedly the sudden disappearance of light in an area inhabited by humans had aroused its curiosity. The little Echthroi both padded forward; with the lights off, this had become a new place to explore.
"The big ones won't hurt you either," Urich said.
Evans smiled. "I'll take your word for it."
The two smaller Echthroi sniffed around the medical stretcher and the legs of Evans' trousers; one of them began climbing the stretcher's frame, finally belly-flopping gracelessly onto the mattress beside Urich. The second youngster pulled itself up into Evan's lap and peered into her cup. "No, no, baby monsters shouldn't be drinking that," Evans told it, setting the cup on a nearby instrument tray. "That's good stuff for humans, but bad stuff for monsters. Your folks will have all sorts of goodies for you to eat when they take you home."
The other Echthroi had discovered the front flaps on Urich's jacket; when the reporter shrugged out of his jacket and held it out to the youngster, both little Echthroi froze for a moment. Finally Urich leaned forward and held the jacket over the youngster's head, then draped the garment around its shoulders. The second youngster scrambled out of Evans' lap and onto the bed, and both children examined the sleeves, pockets, and buttons. "Don't let 'em get your cell phone," Evans warned.
"Should've emptied the pockets—" Urich began, but was cut off by several squealing cries and a round of gunfire.
Evans stumbled to her feet. The two small Echthroi dropped the jacket and crouched on the bed, hissing. The adult Echthroi sprang protectively between the children and entrance to the medical area.
In the open space outside the barriers, a lean, snake-like form erupted from the water and charged, shrieking, into the open. Jennings was shouting, "Aim for the eyes!" as the monstrous jaws opened and snapped. Teeth, claws and tail slashed in different directions.
The handful of Echthroi left in the area snatched up youngsters and bolted, scattering but ultimately trapped. The water lay behind the creature; the only other escape was up the exit stairway, into a light that would blind the aliens.
Dixon, Jennings, and Dunston were crouched against the walls on either side of the monster, firing at the face and eyes. The reptilian head suddenly ducked under the creature's body, and the tail lashed out, slamming Dunston into the wall and leaving him in a heap on the floor. Jennings scrambled along the wall toward the medical area, still firing. The tail lashed again, this time a near miss. Dixon barked, "Stop shooting! It can hear—" The creature's neck twisted, bringing the head and jaws back into play. Teeth snapped at Dixon. Jennings fired again and the creature jerked back, protecting its eyes. Dixon made a slashing motion across his throat, and Jennings stopped shooting. The dragon rounded on him.
One of the Echthroi suddenly charged into the center of the floor, challenging the dragon and leaving its youngster unprotected. The dragon swatted the adult toward the front of the area, almost into the medical barriers. It ignored the youngster completely.
Evans glanced around the barrier. She could hear Urich moving behind her. "Mr. Urich, stay back away from—"
"I recognize that guy," Urich said, voice firmer. He sounded more aware. "That thing came out of the water earlier."
"Yes, and it's a rather nasty creature, so you might want to—" She caught a glimpse of Urich out of the corner of her eye as he brought one arm up, holding his cell phone.
"If it'll just hold still..."
Evans grabbed for his arm as the flash went off. The dragon, Echthroi, and humans all uttered a collective chorus of shouts and shrieks at the sudden, blinding light. Dixon was cursing.
"Preyseeker!" Evans barked, and the adult Echthroi shook his head violently, then stepped forward to slap a hand against Urich's neck. The reporter jerked once and collapsed back into the Echthroi's arms.
"C'mon," Evans ordered, and dashed out of the medical area, Preyseeker towing Urich along by the shoulders. "Here. Give him to them." She indicated the paramedics. "Get him upstairs and out of here. Tell the troops on standby we have a situation and need backup!"
"But—" one of them began.
"Go! You're not armed, and you can't help here! Get backup!" The male paramedic slung Urich over his shoulder; his partner flung the door open so both could dash up the stairs.
In the open area, Dixon and Jennings were on opposite sides of the room. The Echthroi adults were against the two side walls. The monster held the lower end of the area, blinking rapidly, head swaying back and forth, watching for movement. This one was almost four times the size of largest dragon yet caught.
"It responds to sound and movement," Dixon murmured.
Jennings pressed against the wall. "Right. It's between everyone and the water, too."
"Yeah. Pretty damned smart for an animal. Attacked right when we're vulnerable."
"Do you think—"
The dragon sprang forward. Its tail swept along the left wall, while its head and neck angled toward the right wall. Two of the remaining Echthroi adults pounced on the tail, biting and clawing. Suddenly all of the adults abandoned the youngsters to rush the monster. The young Echthroi hissed and snarled.
Evans turned to Preyseeker. "Go! Get the youngsters into the water! Now!" The Echthroi caught up both youngsters and plunged through the barrier opening, sprinting for the water.
In the center of the open area, the dragon was snapping and snarling at the Echthroi that clung to its hide. Jennings opened fire again; three shots later her ammunition was gone. Dixon dashed into the medical area, shouting for Jennings to follow.
"Quick, help me get this out there," he told Jennings, kicking the barrier wall down and grabbing the gurney. "Aim for the mouth!" She grasped the opposite side. Evans drew her own handgun and aimed for the dragon. She squeezed the trigger twice. The dragon bellowed, head jerking up and away from the attacking Echthroi.
"Now!" Dixon and Jennings sprinted forward. The gurney slammed into the dragon's face and the sinuous body recoiled backwards. Evans ran the length of one wall, urging the young Echthroi toward the open water.
The dragon reared up, roaring. Its forepaw smashed the gurney into a twisted heap on the floor. Snapping the metal frame up in its mouth, the monster tossed it against the wall and turned, snarling, on Dixon.