Mateo, Jensen, and Ryzhanov made their way through the cold and muddy desert, trying to keep themselves as hidden as possible. Just in case there were monsters around. "There's always monsters around." Mateo thought. He waited for the cold trickle of Ada's voice that was always there, making one snarky comment or another. But it never came. Ada was gone and Mateo had no idea where his friend was. He remembered feeling her before they got teleported, but that was it. Mateo felt sadness creeping into his mind. Ada had always been there, she was a part of him. The thought that he may never hear her again made him stop in his tracks and take a moment. Jensen and Ryzhanov stopped and looked back. "What is problem?" Ryzhanov asked. Mateo just shook his head and continued onward.
Jensen was the one who was carrying the old rusty pistol they were given, as it was agreed that he was probably the best shot out of the three. It had taken them a good long while to find the magazine those bastards threw over the fence. They had checked the magazine to make sure it actually had bullets in it, and sure enough there was. After a short debate, the three men had decided to spend three of their precious rounds on shooting the chains around their feet, in case they had to run. With only four bullets left, things didn't look good. But all they had to do was return with the head of a single creature. Not that four bullets from a weapon that might blow up in their hands when they shoot it would actually do much to even just one of the creatures. Their task was nearly impossible, but Mateo would do anything to save Shay. He had finally got to meet her, to look upon her with his own eyes, and not just hear her voice through a speaker. However brief the time he spent with her was, he was grateful for it. He wasn't about to let these cartel bastards hurt her.
The trio trudged along aimlessly, not having a clue where they were going. Not having a map made things difficult. They came across a sort of clearing, underneath a huge arch of stone. "This is where portal put us. Where the boss man shot me." Ryzhanov said quietly, holding his stomach. A scoff and a chuckle came from the towering man, "I destroy many of them. With help from metal ball. She was great warrior." He added. That brought a smile to Mateos face. Of course Ada had fought. Jensen stepped forward, "if I wasn't unconscious I may have been able to help." He said coldly. Ryzhanov looked down at him, "is okay little man. More for me." He said with a smile. Jensen just frowned and continued forward. He stopped a moment later, lifting a fist into the air, then motioning towards a pile of boulders. The three men hurried and crouched behind the stony barrier, not doing much to hide the mountain of a man that was Ryzhanov. Nevertheless they hid their best. "What is it?" Ryzhanov asked. Jensen just brought a finger to his lips. Silence fell on the group, and Mateo listened intently. At first he heard nothing, saw nothing. Then he heard a faint clack, clack, clack. He peered over the boulders to try and put eyes on the source. He saw the monster's tail first. The massive tail and stinger of what could only be a giant scorpion swung back and forth behind a small hill, the rest of the monster's body coming into view a moment later. It was as big as a car. The beast clacked its claws as it skittered across the muddy landscape, Its brown carapace reflecting what light made it through the overcast sky. It made its way under the huge stone arch, stopping in the center beneath it. It turned back and forth as if it were searching. Jensen readied the pistol, aiming in its direction. "I've never seen these ones before. There's more now?" He whispered. Mateo shook his head in disbelief. How could there be new monsters? Hadn't the aliens already won? Why were they introducing new species at this point? He looked back in the creature's direction, only to find its beady eyes locked on their hiding spot. It screeched, loud enough that it hurt Mateo's ears. The beast launched towards the trio, ready to strike with its deadly weapons. "Move!" Jensen screamed.
The three men clambered away in different directions, running for their lives. The monster swung its tail, launching its needle-like stinger towards them like a missile. The sharp projectile slammed into the boulders, sending bits of rock flying in every direction. That was different. Could scorpions do that? He ducked just in time as another needle flew just above his head, splashing the mud behind him. The beast then turned and skittered in Jensens direction, screeching. Jensen turned and fired at the nightmare creature, only for the round to ricochet off of the thick carapace. He fired again, resulting in the same outcome. As he ran backwards, Jensen's foot caught a rock, sending him careening to the ground on his back. The weapon flew from his grip, clattering away. The beast made a break for him, clacking it's claws, hunger in its monstrous eyes. Just before it reached the defenseless man, it was stopped in its tracks. It skittered and screeched and tried to move but it was held in its place. Mateo caught a glimpse of Ryzhanov, bear hugging the monster's tail, holding it where it stood. He roared in pain as the beast fought against him. It's legs dug into the earth, making ever so slight progress towards the man still reeling on the ground. It slipped from Ryzhanovs grasp and launched forward, bringing its stinger down at Jensen. He rolled to the side, barely dodging the death needle. The creature was on top of him now, snapping it's claws around his shoulders, holding him in place. An inhuman scream escaped Jensens lungs as the claws bit down harder. Mateo had to do something, anything. He looked around frantically and found a large stone on the ground. It was something. He picked it up and heaved it towards the monster with all his strength. The rock bounced harmlessly off of the scorpion's armored exoskeleton. "No." Mateo thought. After his failed attempt of a distraction, he made a beeline for the weapon that Jensen had dropped. But Ryzhanov was up again, bellowing his ear shattering war cry and launching himself at the monster once more. The giant of a man slammed into the monster's side just as it struck with its tail. The strike was thrown off course, and stabbed through Jensens shoulder. Another scream of pain erupted from the man as he squirmed and flailed his legs, unable to move. The stinger was dislodged, effectively nailing Jensen to the ground, and a new one slid into place where the other just was as the scorpion raised the tail for another blow. The world slowed to a crawl as Mateo watched the stinger rise into the air and start its descent towards his new friend's face. He wouldn't make it to the pistol in time. He was about to watch another man die by the hand of a monster, as so many have before.
An animalistic howl pierced the air as he saw Ryzhanov, once again on his feet and leaping into the air behind the beast. He brought his mass down on the back of the monster's tail as it struck, throwing the stinger off course once more. But this time, the needle shot directly down into the scorpions head. There was a loud crack, and squelch as the stinger penetrated the armored carapace and found the soft flesh underneath it. There was a loud, pained screech, and the monster loosened its grip on Jensen. The beast swayed back and forth, attempting to rip its tail out of its own head. It then released the stinger, freeing the tail, and growing a new one. It turned on Ryzhanov, now laying on the ground with blood gushing from his stomach wound where he had been shot. The monster screeched and chittered, then launched towards the giant on the ground. Its movements were erratic. It swung its tail as it skittered, flinging the sharp needles at Ryzhanov as he tried clambering away. The needles missed, kicking up mud and rock around him. This was the first time, in the short time Mateo had known the man, that he saw any hint of fear in him. The monster made it to the man and stood above him, screeching in his face, clacking it's claws and readying it's deadly weapons. The tail cocked, ready to fire into the man's brain, and then it stopped. The creatures legs buckled, and it fell on top of Ryzhanov, dead. Blood leaked from the wound in its head, pooling and mixing with the mud on the ground.
Mateo stood there in shock. The fight was over and silence once more fell across the land. He snapped out of it and made for Jensen. The man was unconscious with the stinger still sticking out of his shoulder. There was a minimal amount of blood, the stinger was probably keeping it in. But there was no telling what sort of venom was now coursing through his veins. He stood and started making his way over to check on Ryzhanov. Suddenly, the mud around him flung into the air, splashing him in the face. The act was accompanied by the deafening sound of gunshots. He stood still and turned towards the source. A man with a bandana and hood stood behind a rock aiming a rifle in his direction. He spoke in Spanish, "who are you!?" He yelled. Fear shot through Mateo. He couldn't respond. "Who the fuck are you!? Are you with the cartel!?" That he could respond to. He shook his head vigorously. The man with the rifle brought a radio to his face and said something Mateo couldn't hear. He then approached Mateo, rifle still readied. He held his hands up as the man approached. He glanced at the two unconscious men laying on the ground. After seeing Jensen with the stinger in his shoulder, the man lowered the rifle and rushed to his side. "Help me." He said as he passed Mateo. He did as he was told, and crouched next to Jensen alongside the man. He pulled out a familiar device, a smooth, round object with a green liquid inside. Nanomachines. But this one looked almost empty. Mateo feared it wouldn't be enough. "We can't remove the needle now. We will have to wait." The man said. At that, Mateo heard the sound of a vehicle approaching, its engine roaring. He turned to see a simple pickup truck, with a mounted machine gun in the bed approaching rapidly. It skidded to a halt and two more men jumped out, rushing over to Ryzhanov. Together they pushed the beast off of the man. Mateos attention was brought back to Jensen as the original man said, "help me get him into the truck." He did so, and they laid him flat in the bed. It took all four men to get Ryzhanov into the bed as well. "Come with us and I will explain." The man in the bandana said. Mateo didn't really have a choice. He was wary of course, but he would stay with his new friends. Mateo jumped into the truck, staring at his unconscious comrades. The truck started, and the group rumbled away, further into the muddy desert.