Hello everyone, sorry I haven't been consistent with updating this story; it a passionate project I do on the side when I don't have work or college work. Or when I'm not burnout DX.

I just want to let you all know that I had listened to some predator and alien audiobooks, which had given me a ton of ideas. However, that had led me to actually rewrite all the chapters I had line up. That only means that there might be a few spoilers here and there from the books if you plan to listen/read them. Mostly inspiration from the books, and I'm not going to be strictly following the book's storyline.

The books I had listen to were

The Predator: Hunters and Hunted

Predator: If It Bleeds

Predator: Stalking Shadows

Alien: Isolation: The Alien™ Series

Alien: River of Pain: An Audible Original Drama

Alien: Sea of Sorrows: An Audible Original Drama

They were fun to listen to, and I especially enjoy listening to Predator: If It Bleed, a collection of stories of different predators hunting through different points in human history.

Anyways I ramble enough; please enjoy the story and leaves some comments because they encourage and inspire me to write more. Enjoy the chapter!

WARNING: This story will get gory and will have sensitive topics. If you are unable to handle such matters, turn back. You have been warned.

Chapter 4

The swooshing rotation of the blades spinning filled the air as two black hawk helicopters flew over Griffith Park. The pilots did a basic check over their monitors and instruments before they spoke over the coms. "We are making our approach to the site."

"Proceeding to scan the area for the target." The co-pilot added. He frowns as he carefully looks over the radar as the computer went through different scans but fail to locate the target.

"Roger that, ground team is at the rendezvous point." A heavily armed soldier responded. He looks over at the rest of his troops within the compact Cougar 6x6 MRAP truck, including him, making a total of ten people. They were all armed with the latest armor and weapons, all of them custom-built from their employer. He and his troops were double-checking their equipment before they exit the Cougar. Their leader, Major Kevin Grills, carefully look them over, making sure they were ready for what they will be facing. He knew they were all nervous, and he couldn't blame none of them. They know what they were going to get into. Despite having the massive army with powerful weapons to back them up, it didn't settle their nerves.

After all, not all of them were going to be coming out of this.

Once they were ready, they quickly storm out of the truck. Grill being the last one to exit the truck, he looks over as he saw two more Cougars pulling in onto the scene. Bringing more troops once they came to a stop. All of them were ready for a war, all heavily gear for the fight of their lives. However, what disheartens him is he couldn't identify any of them. They were identical to each other; not even their body shapes didn't give off a distinctive feature to them. Grill could only see his reflection against the glass of their helmets, but he too only saw a helmet stare back at him. Grill felt as if he and his troops were just drones.

Grill didn't have to order them to line up; he briefly looks at them before looking towards the park. Despite everything they have, it should be clear they'll win the day, but this isn't his first time. He lives through different hunts, some he barely lived through. Grill's team consists of troops coming in to practically test the target to see how deadly it is. If they can kill it or capture it, good for them but 8 out of 10. Each encounter has been a slaughter. Their results in the predator hunts have been getting worst, but it wasn't Grill or his comrades' fault. Their employers aren't getting enough funds to give them the resources they need or giving Grill the proper amount of time to train the new recruits. Worst of all, their resource has been stretch thin, meaning they're getting sloppy.

New recruits would be hired, given the basics before throwing them out onto the field. Grill should know because a good part of his team was made up of new recruits. He knew they weren't ready to be out on the field; they didn't have enough training. Their operation is starting to fall apart, it no secret, and he knew it wouldn't last before it will all crumple. Countless lives have been lost due to stupid mistakes. Mistakes that could have been easily avoided.

Grill focuses his attention on his team; he clears his throat. "Alright, listen up! We will split off into three groups! Group one will walk forward towards the north. Group two and three will circle at the sides. The plan is to surround the target, to overwhelm and conquer. Our orders are to kill or capture the target, but higher-ups prefer the target to be brought in alive. Be alert at all times and if you see a shimmer, open fire!" Grill spoke loudly. He clicks his rifle. "Group one with me! Let's move out!"

The large group of 30 quickly split into three groups and follow their Major's orders. They instantly fall into formation as they move forward into Griffith Park. Each member was equipped with body cams and vital instruments monitoring their health. The data collected will instantly send elsewhere at a different location.

A temporary HQ for their operations, a building, rented out in LA. Within the building, there is a massive room serving as the central hub of communications. A large office team of agents works like busy bees as they carefully look over the monitors. Ahead of them hung a massive screen, it is split into smaller screens showing the point of view of each of the troops. At the bottom of each picture, establish the identity and heart pulse of the person.

Behind everyone, a tall man with a muscular figure with striking blue eyes and blond hair, which was brushed back. He stood on a balcony that overlook everyone. He stares coldly with a permeant scowl as he glares at the screens. "Any visual on the Predator at all?" He demanded sharply. His hands gripping the balcony's safety bars with impatience.

"No, sir, no signs of the target yet." One agent answer.

He didn't like the answer; he flares up. "Fucking find the damn creature already! We are wasting time!"

The agent didn't respond to him; he instead rolls his eyes and focuses his attention on important matters. Everyone, despite him, finding him to be a nuisance, but they didn't speak out against him because he outranks them. However, a Hispanic Japanese man wasn't afraid to stand up against him. "Jeff, is it really necessary to have this attitude? It is not going to get us nowhere." His voice calm and relaxed.

"Shut it, Vega!" Jeff snarl. Agent Andy Vega's eyes narrow with annoyance; he indeed felt the luckiest man alive to have Jeffrey Keystone as his partner. Andy crosses his arms and shifts his attention from the angry troll to the screens. He wasn't going to waste his breath on him.

Meanwhile, Grill carefully looks over his visor's screen as he constantly scans the area, his visor going through the different settings trying to pick up a trace of the predator. There were no readings, making him nervous; they usually would have caught some kind of trace. Especially when they have air support constantly circling from the above and many bodies also checking the radars. Despite this, no one could pick up any sign to indicate where the predator is located…is concerning.

However, this predator has proven to be different. Clearly, it is some sort of criminal or something because it doesn't follow the same behavior as the other predators. The massacre on the different groups of people ranging from the innocent to the guilty. Mostly since it slowly tortures its victims. It most certainly didn't fit the regular predator's hunting pattern.

Unfornatally meant this predator is a massive unknown; they couldn't rely on their previous knowledge about the predators. In theory, with the evidence stacking up, they could possibly be dealing with an alien psycho killer. The thought alone made his heart race and his blood run cold. With the knowledge in mind, Grill felt the chances will be low for survival. A human psycho killer is scary enough, but a predator? That's madness.

Back at HQ, they could see the spike in their heart rate and their blood pressure slowly increasing. The uncertainness in their train movements as they walk forward through the beaten path. Jeffrey scowl as he stares, annoyed at the beeping monitors. He growls. "Damn idiots, don't they know that the creature can smell their fears!?"

Andy couldn't believe how ridiculous this man sounded. "Why don't you show them how to be fearless by leading the ground team?" Andy glare at him angrily. "I will especially love it when you come across the predator itself."

Jeffrey scoff as he looks away, looking too much like a snooty prick. "Not a chance; I'm more valuable here."

Andy couldn't feel more baffled; he couldn't believe the endless audacity from this man. Andy could only pinch the bridge of his nose as he felt the creeping feeling of a headache. Andy couldn't stand this man any longer; he suffered long enough with having to work with Jeffrey. Andy had tried getting a new partner but haven't been successful, his endless requests have been denied, and his higher-ups kept giving him stupid reasons. Andy sighs loudly to himself, he alters his focus to the screens.

Grill frown when he notices that his team was in eyesight with the other groups. Yet there were no signs of the predator. Usually, a predator would have attacked the smaller groups, slowly cutting their numbers because large groups will prove too much for a single predator. Grill clenches his teeth as he had to remind himself that they weren't dealing with a typical predator.

Grills frown as he could hear the small concern whisper chatter among his team. They were just as confuse and concern as he was feeling. Grill bit his lip as he tries to think of a new way to approach this dilemma.

"Maybe it was a fault alarm? Or maybe the creature left the area before we arrived? Maybe there is no monster out here." A rookie spoke softly. Hopefulness rang softly in his scared, trembling voice.

Before anyone could confront him of the matter. There is a sharp wisp in the air and a brief glimpse of reflective light. There was a momentary stillness as everyone is trying to register what had just happened. Still, at that moment, five bodies drop to the floor with wet thumps. Their guts quickly spilling from their slice bodies. To the unfortunate souls, they didn't realize what had just happened; they just know that they had fallen to the ground. The same rookie that spoke made a sharp intake of air before he looks at his fellow comrades with confusion. "W-what just happen?"

Grill stood frozen; at that moment, he could only stare. Five people lay on the ground, their bodies slice open with blood and their guts spilling out onto the ground and slowly staining it with blood. They didn't realize what happens or how the steam from their hot inners flutters a hot mist.

However, Grill snaps back to his senses when he hears another whisp in the air. He and everyone quickly duck down for cover, but to the few, they weren't fast enough. Instead, more bodies were added, and the echoing shots begin to fire. Bullets rain through the air, firing at everything but, more specifically, the slight shimmers in the trees.

Grills pale when he notices more than one shimmers; dread fill him.

"Oh god! There more than one!"

Everything happened too fast…

...it was too much of a blur…

The screams and the gunfire…

The roars and the bodies dropping…

The blood and the gore; it filled the screens and echo throughout the room.

Andy Vega stood watching the screens, his eyes stare coldly with a sharp focus as he took in the different views. He ignores everyone in the room with him; some panic, others cried, a few look away, or had passed out. There were a few that even threw up, their stomachs unable to handle the gore that played before them. Even the supposedly hardass that is Jeffrey Keystone is kneeling in the corner, upheaving his stomach's condiments.

However, Agent Vega stood emotionless in the center of the chaos, his eyes calculating. From what he could see, there seem to be ten predators or more, but his sharp eyes couldn't keep count as they kept dashing in and out of view. He knew the predators were fast, but they weren't this fast; something doesn't feel right. Nonetheless, those people had fallen prey to the lion's den.

Vega snaps out from his concentration when he heard crackling static. "This is Major Kevin Grill! If you can hear this! Quickly fall back and get the fuck out of here!" He screams over the coms.

"Negative!" Jeffrey shout as he quickly composes himself. He storms over towards the edge of the balcony, gripping the bars. "You have your orders! You are to follow them at once!"

"Fuck you! These fuckers had practically killed almost my whole team! We stand no fucking chance! We barely stood a chance against one predator! Not a whole fucking hunting party!" Grill snarl as he had taken cover behind a tree. He is trying to cover his body with mud so he wouldn't be a walking target when he tried to make his escape from this hell.

"You know your- "Jeffrey gasp when Vega brutally punches his cheek, causing the man to stumble and fall to the ground with a thump. It left him daze and confuse before he coughs and chokes when Vega kicks his stomach. Jeffrey cough loudly while Vega stares down at him with disgust.

"Be fucking realistic! Don't you see what is happening?! Get your head out of your ass and open your eyes!" Vega snarl at him, glaring at him murderously. He sharply looks over to the screens. "Major Grill! Get yourself and your team out of there at once! Air team! Get in there and provide air support!"

Grill sigh with relief. "Thank you, sir!"

He quickly issues the order for those still standing, and they didn't hesitate to obey orders. Those able to run, they promptly bolted, but some of them struggle to drag some of their fallen comrades. Not wanting to leave their fellow man behind. However, there were too many that were injured or dying from their injuries. Grill trembles as he could hear them screaming and begging to not be left behind. However, Grills knew that this hunting party of predators wasn't going to let them get away that easy.

Achea purrs with amusement as he watches all the oomen run around like scared little insects. He will admit that these oomen brought him an absolute thrill. They somewhat knew what kind of predator was hunting them. He notices how careful they approach the area when they first arrived and incredibly how swift they were to avoid his weapons. Especially amusing to witness the oomen fearfully fire at the trees, following whatever tree branches were disturbed but his leaping through different trees. Achea decides to test something new that'll make things more interesting.

Achea releases dozens of micro-size drones; they flew away and begin to project holographic images of himself or his cloak form. The fun indeed increases as it completely threw the oomen off guard and scare the life of out of them. The oomen actually believe they were being hunted by a hunting group of Yautja. The results were outstanding because it causes the oomen to randomly shoot and fire at any of his hologram images. Allowing Achea to throw his blades, slicing these oomen into pieces. The hilarity of it all is to witness the blind fear of friendly fire. Watching them accidentally kill each other is laughable.

He perks up when he realizes they were trying to retreat.

He laughs. "Foolish insects, do they really believe they'll live today?"

Achea laughs loudly as he leaps forward and throws his disks and nets at the pitiful oomens. He'll occasionally fire a few rounds from his cannons just to witness them explode in a bloody mess. His laughter echoes through his holograms, causing a drumming echo throughout the park mix with the terrified screams.

Grill felt cold with the mud covering his body, but the horrible laughter from the hunting group haunts his soul. It sends a freezing dose of dread and fear directly into his very soul. These animals were mocking them, toying with them like a cat with a mouse. Grill tightly clench his teeth as he felt utterly helpless and useless, he is supposed to lead his team and make sure they stay alive, but he ultimately failed them.

He perks up when he hears something flying towards him, his heart skips a beat, but he instantly dives to the ground. He narrowly misses the blades that nearly slice him in half, but he did hear some of his uniform getting tore when the blades glaze over his body. He gasps and hisses in pain as he felt a burning sensation on his side. He grunts as he applies pressure over the gash wound; it wasn't deep but still enough to have blood flowing.

However, his adrenaline jumpstarts him as he briefly saw a shimmer quickly approaching him, but he rolls away. He jumps to his feet; he lifts his rifle up and releases a lash of bullets at the predator just as it uses its claws to slash at the tree. But Grill's eyes widen in shock when he saw the shots went straight through the predator, the image of the creature ripple and distorted.

"W-what the fuck…?" Grill stutter. This hologram stares at him briefly before it disappears into thin air.

Before Grill can understand what happened, he hears one of the helicopters flying overhead. He looks up just as he saw a rope is thrown over for the few troops on the ground to be transported. Grill started to make a mad dash towards the chopper, but he notices a flash of light. This light shot straight through the helicopter. It enters through the underbelly where the pilot would be located, and the blast exit through the helicopter's roof. The blast burns off one of the helicopter's blades; Instantly, the helicopter begins to spin out of control as it swirls in circles in the air before making a brutal crash landing. The engine explodes on impact, gears, and parts of the helicopter flew off like missiles. Some of the few remains of the team who were waiting to be recused, however, they were caught in the crossfire from the flying gears and parts. Screams could be heard within the burning aircraft as the co-pilot is left to burn alive.

Grills could only watch in stun horror, his body tremble and breath labor. However, he sharply looks up when he hears the second helicopter coming in. "Turn back now! Get out of here!" Grills scream over the coms.

Sadly, there was no time for the pilots to respond to the order as a harpoon had shot through the helicopter's haul. There is a massive roar, and the aircraft violently tug downwards. The engine coughs and groans loudly as the pilots struggle to keep the helicopter in the air as they play a dangerous game of tug of war. The pilots' extra passenger, a soldier, quickly jumps onto the mounted machine gun; he follows the chain trail before firing where it ends. There is another roar, indicating that he hit the alien. However, the helicopter is sprung upwards when it was free from the tugging. The pilots were quick to straighten up the aircraft. Everyone on board couldn't help to release a small chuckle of relief when they were freed.

"Nice work, Reef, you got the fucker," The co-pilot chuckles. He trembles slightly, his shoulders somewhat tense.

"Y-yeah…" Reef chuckles with a hint of nervousness. He glances out over the park, trying to spot the body. Instead, he wasn't given a chance to scream when a blade is stabbed down his throat and slice upward through the back of his neck. There is a sickening snap as the man's neck was snapped off from his body.

The creature is panting heavily with punctured bullet wounds all over its body, bright green and red blood drip off from it. The beast let out a low rumbling hiss as it turns to face the pilots; its mask has been torn off from its face leaving its face bloody. The pilots stare at the creature with frozen terror; the predator roars loudly before it leaps forward at them with raw brutality.

The co-pilot instantly grab his handgun and try firing at the charging creature but ultimately proving to be pointless against the berserker creature, utterly unfazed by the bullets piercing into it. Instead, the beast yanks the co-pilot forward by the torso. The co-pilot scream and struggle while the predator's mandibles spread wide open, showing off it sharp alien maw. The predator violently latches onto the co pilot's face, tearing his face off in a bloody display with sickening crunches as part of the skull is crack. Despite this horror, the co-pilot howl in pain, his painful scream reaching a near animalistic tone from the nightmarish of pain. The predator ruthlessly tosses the co-pilot to the floor to suffer a slow death, the co-pilot to squirm and scream as he touches his broken bare skull.

The predator storms forward to the pilot; she screams, but she shifts the helicopter to change to the side roughly. Causing the predator and the co-pilot to be tossed out from the helicopter's side door. She could hear her co-pilot scream as he falls to his death. Tears stream down her face, but she screamed when her head was roughly grabbed from behind. The predator had clung to the edge of the helicopter and thus had he hoist himself back inside. The pilot screams as she grips the predator's massive rough, scaly hands as she felt her head being squeezed within its grasp. She can feel and hear her skull starting to crack from the pressure. She screams for mercy, begging for God to help her but no stroke of luck. Instead, her face is slammed into the helicopter's dashboard.

The predator laughs and hisses as he repeatedly slams the woman's head onto the dashboard until her face begins to turn into a mushy paste. He eventually let her go once he realizes the helicopter started to spin out of control.

The helicopter spins out of control as it quickly made its way to the ground. Still, before it crashes, the predator leaps out from the helicopter's window. Escaping from the explosive burst from the aircraft, the predator safely landed with perfect ease. It roared loudly in its victory with the smoking helicopter in the background. However, the predator roar in pain when a decisive fire round shot it, causing it to stumble slightly from the shot.

"You will pay!" Grill bellows as he shot another round from his shotgun. "Fucking bastard! Die!"

Grill clench his teeth tightly to the point of nearly breaking them with his eyes watery. Adrenaline flare and fuel throughout his body, ignoring the burns and injuries he had received. He shot another round, the predator dodging this round, but in return, he threw one of his disks. It happens too fast for Grill's tired body to escape. His head is perfectly split in half, receiving the strike like a hot knife to butter. Grill's body shook before it collapses to the ground with a heavy thump.

The live recording feed from Grill's body cam shows the predator making another victory roar. Still, to the people in the room watching everything, it felt like the creature was mocking them. The predator stops its brief celebration before approaching Grill's body. There is no respect as the predator step on top of Grill's body, breaking the body cam in progress and cutting the feed.

Within the room of central control, no one spoke or utter a sound. The only sound they could hear is the steady echoes of the thirty-five flatlines.