Chapter Twenty One
An hour into walking I finally ask Soc, about Tes. "So were you two close in the Dr- I mean Grove?"
"He was mine and Curie mentor. Sharp as wit he was a wizz at wiring and keeping the upkeep of our home, yet he built some interesting things others saw as junk. He taught me to craft and build, how to master my control over tactics. He also taught Curie how to fiddle and create things with electricity and the such." Soc said a bit In remiss. "He was the oldest before the Grove turn to the Drone. Beside the monster's and the walls, life although held in captivity was idyllic. I miss those days even if I was a lab rat.'
"Soc, I didn't mean to upset you with the past.
"Guy's we got trouble!"
"What is it Tes?" Soc snapped to attention.
"I told you that sunset was dangerous, let's just hope they pass us by."
"They who?" I asked.
"The Stalkers. They usually hunt in packs or alone often they get into fights with the crazies."
"What exactly are Stalkers?" I ask as our pace grew faster.
"Autonomous mechanical creatures resembling scorpions. They are nocturnal even if half their composition is artificial, they hate light."
"Hopefully they stay away." Soc nodded while he observe the creatures.
Just three miles to go, I eventually might subcome to fear, I didn't like the sound of them. If it's a pack there is no chance of surviving.
Just as I could see the overpass waving over the way I hear a blood crushing sound of compress air being realised as the sandy pavement began to shake and open up. I take a firm grab of my weapon.
"Stalker!" Howled Tes from behind, I drop the gear and charge forward ready to defend.. There a tall monster with eight metal legs and tail with a slim body approached. I've seen this thing before. Back when I was held by WICKED in the harvast room, in the vats. The four letter insignia on its body; WCKD. This was the slimmer version of a Griever. No. A variable, but if Tes is aware of them, this isn't a accident. It doesn't matter how they came to be out in the Scorch, it needs to die.
They Stalker let out a defining screech from it's mouth, as if it was a war cry a signal. I have to be quick and sense there is nothing but open wastes, I got to conserve stamina while attacking. These bad boys seem to be more highly armored, there are some fleshy parts that I can strike but I must be mindful of the stinger.
"Distract it so I can set up a way to repeal it, while Soc and Jane get to safety." Tes command. Soc went for safety back at the overpass almost immediately.
Sprinting forward my banister spear clashes with the metal tail as the shuck went for the instant kill. "Cheeky aren't you, don't worry I've dealt with your cousins. You'll be out of your misery in no time." I bark gritting my teeth as I dive forward to lunge, each time hitting either the armored carapace or its tail in defense.
"They can't be killed by traditional methods, we lack the equipment." Tesla yelled to me.
'Move,' I hear Jane voice inside my head, as her body springs past mine; agile and fast. Jane was darting across the sand as the Stalker was often moving around. Jane is quick like lightning a bottled fury. I watch as she leaps off of the sand from the top of a dune using her weapon as some sort of pole vault. The distance she got was pretty high as she was right above its body nearing the open fleshy bits. With all her might and gravity assisting her momentum, the edge jabbed right through the carapace of it's face.
The Stalker was rather impervious to the attack. For only the armor chipped to some degree. The Stalker in retaliation leap up high like a ball and brought down Jane to the sand pretty hard with a swat of its tail.
"Jane!" I cry out running towards her, all the while the Stalker went to finish it's prey. Thankfully I was just able to sweep her away as I counter with my weapon. A piece of hardened metal sent the two of us back, but Jane stood latch onto my arms as I tumble into a patch of stone, my back taking the blunt of it.
"Crap I'm not ready, I need more time if I'm going to repeal them try to hold out," Tes sighed as the Stalker charged to us.
"Shit!" I moan in pain getting up as Jane stood alongside me, there has to be a way to kill it.
Jane weaves left I turn right going for a fast duo attack as both spears slash and thrash against the beast ito no avail. We did our best to avoid any attacks, but the Stalker cries out for what, I wasn't sure isn't pain but a call for reinforcement.
'Your forehead is bleeding.' Jane mentions.
'All this adrenaline I haven't notice. Wait bleeding that's it, my blood is deadly to Maze creatures, I unfortunately made them but not these before us. Maybe just maybe the biological make-up is the exact same.' I ramble to her.
I had a plan that might just save us, if not we have to depend on Tesla idea coming to fruition.
Letting enough blood pool up in my hands I rub the tip of the spear and smudge my hand together, I was killing it no buts about it.
Leaping forward I ran my hand against the cold boney yet metallic carapace till I found an open flesh pocket. With the speed I was going I had enough I'll to puntcure the outer layer letting the blood drip into it's body then hurry away. It wouldn't take long to a reaction would occur just like the other times.
The Stalker falls to the ground as if stun, like the blood was killing it. By the sounds it was making and the thrashing it appears as if I won. But the impossible occurs as the Stalker raise right back up ready to continue the fight.
"This usually works, but these variant are immune it would appear. Whatever your working on is it done?" I yell for Tes.
"Yes but it needs time to charge." Tes had wires and circuit boards and what I assume a sodering iron, working on God, knows what.
'We can't kill it, but still… I need to do something.' Jane said.
'We can't allow it to reach the others, let's distract this monster.' I said back to her gripping the spear once more.
Jane led the charge with me aside her our weapon's primed to attack. I throw my body weight into the frenzied Stalker with my weapon injecting itself into the broken helm carapace that Jane managed to break. Jane lobs off the tail with a fatal swipe, to bad for the Stalker its tail isn't protected by the armor, a flaw that work In our favor.
Jane face is splatter with black oil and blood, but using her sheet's it's easy to remove once we get the chance. Tes somehow wasn't even once targeted by the beast, the two of us wasn't much of a issue where it couldn't seek him out.. Something doesn't add up, but I realized the subtle static cling in the air, something electromagnetic is keeping the creature away from him. "Almost done, you're doing good."
Is he really making sure if anyone dies, it isn't going to be him. Why was this beast scared to even cross a inch of the threshold where he laid his equipment. Shouldn't we have that protection? Or are we just cannon fodder? All that aside we still had a job to do.
Strike after strike I expose more flesh from the broken carapace, the Stalker is losing its stamina. I a last ditch effort the creature open its mouth so wide- I saw only the abyss in it's great maw. It was going to consume me. With reality taking hold and the use of quick thinking. I ram my weapon into it's mouth to stop it from shutting. That's when Jane pushing both me and her out of the way once it decided to make a dive bomb into the sand. It was too fast I didn't even notice it's body contorting to jump, I was in a state of shock after my upper torso was inside it's mouth.
Just like that the Stalker was underground, prehaps to strike unseen or to hide.
'Your weapon…' she said saddened
'Its quite alright.' I replied
'It isn't gone, just hiding underneath gathering allies.' She said desperately.
Together the two of us stood back to back arm stretch out and our stance defensive and evasive. We branch around each going a different direction inside of clock shape pattern. Her counter clock wise, I clock wise.
"Catch," Tesla shouts to me.."It isn't what you're used to but it is effictive. It has a nasty zap, so use caution; because I've hit a wall in strating this baby up." Seemlessly I caught the glove outfitted with some sort of taser. I strap the gloves up as I felt a rumbling from underneath.
'Jump!' Screams Jane as the earth seem to open up under us I forward her back as three Stalkers hop out.
'Good timing, now go retreat this is all me.'
'Three are you insane?'
'Maybe.'
I ran as fast as the sand wouldn't traction me down. "This way!" Old no tail and two friends follow me, as I run towards a tilting power line in the distance.
Usually underneath should be very conductive ground. There I can make my stand. I felt my heart beat rise as my heart wanted to break out my chest. Lungs burning I hurry to the power line underneath the dying light of day. If I can't reach it before the sun is gone, I won't be able to climb it.
'Tes and I are fine he's almost done for real this time, he needs darkness for it to work.'
'Now he mentions, something isn't right about him. Don't show any signs of mistrust or disbelief pertaining to what he says, I'll be back soon.'
This felt right, this communication between our heads just made things easier. I knew Jane wasn't frail as Nyx saw her out to be. Maybe he's just overprotective? If he could only see her today. Then again I have no doubt he's seen her tenacity before.
Arriving at the power line, I began to scale it using some parkour and usual climbing technique. Just like I thought they took the bait. Suckers I have them now. Once I reach a high but safe enough height, I watch as they struggle to reach me. But sharp projectile are flying at me out of their tails as if a bow dart. This is getting out of hand so taking my leap of faith I flip off the line and go hurdling at them from above, my fist reaching the ground open palmed. A electrical current runs out of the gloves in to ground and redirected to the metal bodies. It stuns them just enough for me to break for it. Regretting the choice of fall it could of been more graceful as my arms feel fractured.
'Is it ready?' I call out to her.
'Yeah just head back.'
Following the tracks I see the pair waiting but surprisingly the Stalkers are back up and running as they aren't too far behind. Hopefully this works, his plan and all. I don't know much I have left in me, this is all pure adraline.
"Hurry and make a small but open circle." He said as I ran towards them. "Id like to introduce the Light Wave Whistle."
Tesla took the front as he held what seems as parts of many stoplights. A large light lit up the surrounding area. They are attached to a long pole, it seem each light had small hole around them where I'm guessing sound would emit. The light went into a various different bright colors. As the Stalkers approach Tesla swung the pole with great strength as high decibel whistle blew as the lights flash sporadically causing great agonizing pain and discomfort to the creatures. They froze in place before eventually attack but before they got to their bodies clinched up, eventually sending them scurrying away once his strength fades. Tesla drops the device and unhooks the battery pack.
"Amazing, truly but there bond to return and hunt us."
"Not likely the Stalkers aren't like that once they experience something that can alter or effect their bodies it's something their not keen on experiencing again. Trust me I've been out here for three years.
Three years? I've got him his story keeps changing, but right now is time to get back. Tes packs his important items while Jane and I use one another to hold another up. It didn't take long as the overpass is right above us, leading Jane and Tesla to our hideout Soc runs up the sand and announces our presence. Stepping over the broken parts of passageway, the group was happy for our safe return. Once I saw that my body went limp as I tumble down the sand into the hideout knocked out cold.
A/N: Just something I put together to spice up the story. I'm going to go into depth with explaining how, I've managed to make the movie and book coexist. For now, back to editing.