Chapter 38

"Thanks for the heads up but we'll manage." The captain relayed.

"A bear can still fuck you up." A young agent glanced over his shoulder.

"If you're a shitty shot maybe." Another agent taunted.

The agents continued their search but avoided the bear looking for a den. Thanks to the pilot's directions they found a cave on the southern side to explore. Taking down a bear wasn't an issue, but they didn't wanna waste the ammo.

Cameron's group was making their new camp comfortable unsure how long it would be. Right now the bear was blocking the entrance, and smelling it carefully. Bringing their rations with them was a necessity, but it was a beacon for predators.

They were thinking of aliens, and being arrested not Smoky the bear. The thought of an apex predator trapping them inside the cave never occurred to them. It strolled deeper into the tunnels nudging its nose along the cavern floor on occasion.

"There's no way I'm staying longer than a day." Megan crossed her arms.

"If you wanna leave that's your choice," Jordan replied.

Megan glared at Jordan before glancing at the floor for a rock.

"You better not." Jordan cautioned.

"Or what?" Megan asked.

"Gender equality." Jordan grabbed a small pebble.

"Fine with me," Megan smirked with a large rock in her hand.

"Be quiet," Cameron told them.

"Whan dia younma"

Cameron covered Megan's mouth and pointed towards the tunnel. They heard rustling, and Jordan grabbed his pistol. Worried they have been discovered they prepared themselves to fight their way out. Seeing a wide figure coming into view with dark fur they realized it wasn't an officer.

Jordan considered shooting, but the echo would reach the mountain. Not to mention it could disorient Megan who still adjusting to gunfire. If the shot was insufficient he could leave them exposed to an attack, and only Cameron could endure something like that.

Cameron stood up slowly and motioned Megan behind him. Jordan knew better than to doubt his friend's capabilities and backed up. The bear was encroaching on their position, and Cameron wanted to deter it. He raised his hand focusing, but nothing happened.

'What's going on?' Cameron tried once more to transform.

"It's not like the wolves," Jordan told Cameron.

"You're gonna have to do something." Megan backed up.

"I'm trying."

Unable to activate his abilities Cameron grabbed his fishing spear. He took a stance holding his ground with the bear. It finished descending the slope of the tunnel before towering over them.

Cameron didn't budge, and the bear dropped down a claw in response. He pushed forward-thrusting for its heart, but the crude spear snapped after entry. Cameron narrowly escaped being crushed and retrieved his blade.

He lunged for its back to strike for the neck. The bear roared before thrashing about causing Cameron to smack into the wall. The force shook his grip loose, and he fell from its back.

They began hurling rocks at the bear, but it was fixated on Cameron. Blood was dripping from the bear's neck, but it still lunged forward. Megan watched the massive bear fall onto Cameron as its claw tore across his chest.

It was trying to line up a bite, but Cameron was struggling. If not for his inhuman strength his throat would've been bitten out long ago. On the next bite, Cameron was forced to block with his arm, and as the sound of bones crunching rang in his ears he acted.

Cameron seized the blade in its neck tearing it across vigorously. In an instant, the cavern floor was dyed crimson. As the bear dropped Cameron was stuck underneath it trying to worm his way out.

Jordan quickly helped him as Megan saved their things from the blood. Pulling him out from the bear they removed the shirt and attempted to clean the blood. Once the blood was wiped away it immediately returned.

'Why won't the bleeding stop?' Megan frantically tried to stem it.

Cameron reached for Megan's face before his hand dropped. His pulse was still there, but Cameron was unconscious. This wasn't the first time Cameron faced a fatal wound, but Megan had an uneasy feeling.

"He's gonna heal just give it a second," Jordan reassured Megan.

Megan moved her towel from the wound, but it was still leaking. The color began to fade from Cameron's cheeks. Fearing the worst they wrapped the wound and began hauling him from the cave.

The thought of getting caught crossed their minds, but the alternative was Cameron dying. With his abilities not working in a crucial moment, they were no longer confident he could wake up. They reached the exit of the cave and froze hearing the chopper. Was this really the right decision?

'It's the only option we have left.' Jordan pushed forward into the light.

As their eyes adjusted to the sun they could hear a chopper up above. They looked up to see it disappearing into the distance. It was moving at an incline for increased speed as if in pursuit. Not having time to appreciate the miracle Jordan continued down the mountain.

"I thought you didn't wanna waste equipment," Aria told Enki.

"They were closing in on the subject, and that's a greater loss," Enki replied.

"You said containment wasn't possible," Enkara stated.

"That's because it is. We are still running analysis on the victims but we're in uncharted territory here," Enki replied.

"Then why waste a drop ship?" Aria asked.

"I think he can solve our diplomatic crisis." Enki relayed.

"You better be right about this." Aria retorted.

Watching agents encroach on their location they deployed a distraction. The mothership cloaked from the radars and made it seem like a pursuit. Agents on the ground witnessed something jump several miles on the radar, and continue forward from there.

Murphy believed they were after the same target. With the other information matching up they moved quickly. Now that the nuisance was gone they watched Jordan closely. Enki admired the human's tenacity to save his comrade. Their behavior has always intrigued him, and this was a familiar scenario.

'I thought humans helping our kind only existed in the movies.'

They were reaching the outskirts of Henry's property as the dog came running. Not long after Henry, and Kinsey appeared. Their meeting was to discuss the distraction working. The last thing they ever expected was to see Cameron again.