Episode Forty - Rescue

Chapter Song Suggestion "Come Back Down by Trevor Something"

*note : all dialogues like so {example} are spoken from the predator's perspective

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THE PAST | Unknown

Her mind was a dense fog of clouded memories and emptiness.

Who was she? Where was she?

She couldn't open her eyes, her lids protested against her command. There was a steady beep–beep–beep sound and muffled talking floating all around her. She couldn't quite hear what they were saying except for words like 'serpent DNA' and 'modified limbs'.

Her heart started racing. Were they talking about her?

She tried shifting her fingers and realized her wrists were strapped down. She panicked. She wanted to scream but no sound would come out. The beeping grew louder until it overwhelmed her senses, her breathing spiralling out of control.

The voices stopped and only one registered. It was brisk and sharp — an order.

She felt a light pinch on her arm and then her consciousness faded to black.

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PRESENT DAY

Eira woke up in the middle of the night to find Lars's side of the bed empty. Clutching the bedsheets to her naked body, she peered over the ledge of the top floor and found the pantry lights were on. Slipping on Lars's shirt, she paced down the stairs and saw his shadow hunkered on the barstool with a tumbler of whiskey in his hand whilst feeding Betsy strips of dehydrated meat.

Eira wondered if Florian's words troubled him because Lars had been in a pensive mood since they returned home. The sex was still amazing, and he had been extremely attentive, yet he seemed dissatisfied.

"Can't sleep?" She slipped her arms around him, kissing the side of his neck. "Want to tell me what's been on your mind?"

"Was I that obvious?" he sounded vaguely distracted.

"Yes, Mr. Grumpy," she teased, removing the whiskey from his hand and turning him to face her. Cupping his cheek, she coaxed, "Now, tell me."

His shadowed expression relaxed a little. "I used to think it didn't matter what my team members thought of me but having someone doubt me…it's a new feeling that doesn't sit well with me."

Understanding dawned on Eira and she smiled. "Are you hurt that Florian doubted you?"

He kept silent.

"It's adorable to see you care what the others think of you." Eira's laughter was husky amusement, never imagining she would see him blush. "Relax, Lars. Your teammates cherish you. They think the world of you, and I've heard this personally from each one. We can't blame them for doubting. It was a lot to take in, and I had to hear it from the First Lieutenant's own lips."

"I realize how much this unit means to me despite everything I've endured," he admitted. "It's a team I've established with my own efforts."

Knowing his background and the guilt he carried after their separation, Eira understood how important it was for Lars to be needed and relied upon. He was zealous to the point where it could raise him or break him. But it was another reason why she loved him. Lars was dependable. He would give his all or die trying.

"Then everything will be fine," she assured fiercely, cupping his cheeks. "You've done your best and you've told everyone the truth. Now, it's their turn to reciprocate your trust."

Lars sat there, absorbing the weight of her words. Finally, he sighed. "You're right. I don't want to dwell on this anymore. It's…tiring."

Eira yelped when he shot to his feet with her in his arms.

"Since I can't sleep," he drawled, walking them back upstairs. "How about we go for another round?"

Her cheerful laughter echoed in their cosy love nest as she whipped her shirt off and brushed her erected nipples against his hot, bare chest. "I'm game if you are, Captain."

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Taking a deep breath, Lars entered the lab basement in fearless strides, anticipating to see at least one missing member. Shock immobilized him. Four familiar faces smiled at him, and Kaiser Ruff was here too. He pointed to the latter. "What is he—"

"Kaiser has agreed to help us," Eira interjected smoothly, unable to contain her excitement. She was pleasantly surprised when Kaiser met with her at the capsule transit station. The fierce determination on his face convinced her that he had made up his mind.

Lars cleared his throat. "Excellent. Now that everyone is here, I assume you are all prepared for what is to come."

"Affirmative, Captain," Anaelle responded.

"Then, let us begin. Here's what we need to do..."

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Static buzzed from her earpiece followed by Florian's voice. "Testing. Testing. Eira, are you alright up there? How's the view?"

"I can hear you loud and clear, Florian," she replied, glancing down at the two snowmobiles keeping pace from below Xue Long. "There's no sign of our target, just an endless white landscape."

"We can always switch places if it gets too cold up there." A hint of smug mischief.

"I hope you're not planning to talk the entire time," Lars remarked warily.

They could all hear Florian smiling through the earpiece. "I'm just making sure the cold winds aren't too harsh on Eira. She's not acclimated to the cold like you are, Captain. We'll be lucky if this snowstorm doesn't wipe us out first."

"Relax, Florian." Lars's voice buzzed. "This is mild compared to what I'm used to. Eira, keep your eyes open for visual of the convoy. Let us know if you see anything."

"I'll try my best, Captain. This light blizzard is distracting." Eira squinted at the vast emptiness of white. Thankfully it was summertime in Belugia, which meant the sun never sets until after midnight. Tugging her jacket closer, Eira's teeth chattered from the cold. This was her first time in Belugia, and already she was having second thoughts of returning. If this was summer, then winter would be brutal.

{Feels good. Feels like home.}

Xue Long on the other hand was enjoying this. Given the nature of her species, Eira wasn't surprised the dragon revelled the cold.

"I'm getting a signal on my radar," Florian announced after minutes of silence. "There are incoming vehicles at two o'clock. Eira, what's your report status?"

She peered into the distance, urging Xue Long to dip lower. And then she saw it. "I have visual confirmation on two black armoured trucks equipped with cannon blasters. What is your call, Captain?"

Based on the high-grade weapons, Levente wasn't taking any chances. These armed soldiers were serious business. "Florian and I will ambush and distract them. Eira focus on retrieving Jade and get her to the rendezvous point with Mickael's team."

"Roger that," she said. Banking a sharp right, she and Xue Long swooped into the clouds ahead of Lars and Florian, camouflaging themselves.

"Florian, you take the front and I'll take the back. Aim for the tyres," Lars instructed, grabbing his reaper.

"You got it, Captain." Florian revved his snowmobile to pick up the pace while Lars covered his back. Upon sighting them, the military trucks opened fire and Florian swerved to safety. "It seems they're extremely cautious about the package! They don't even care if we're civilians."

"Distract and disarm them," Lars shouted, firing multiple blasts, taking out the fitted rapid-firing auto cannons on both vehicles. One tyre exploded and the truck driver lost control, sending the vehicle into a tailspin before it flipped and rolled and burst into flames.

"Fuck!" Florian swore brusquely, the blazing fire reflected on his snow goggles.

"Focus, Florian. Jade's in the second vehicle."

The other truck continued firing viciously and Lars ducked to avoid getting hit. Driving close to the window, he smashed the glass with the butt of his reaper.

"Shoot him, you idiot!" a man shouted from inside. Lars immediately hit the brakes when a gun rammed in the space between his eyes.

BANG!

His heart in his throat. A second too late and he would have been dead.

On the other side, Florian raised his gun and pulverized the back windows. The glass shattered, allowing him a glimpse of empty seats inside. "Captain, we have a problem. I think these two trucks were sent as decoys. Jade's not in any of them."

"I see it!" Eira exclaimed through the earpiece. "There's another truck headed in the opposite direction. I'm tailing it."

"Tell us your location," Lars demanded. "Don't do anything reckless."

"I'm headed south-east!" Her response distorted with static interference.

A scowl captured Lars's expression. "Eira, you're breaking up. You're going too far out of range."

"Captain, heads up!" Florian cut in frantically. "That bastard's carrying a bazooka."

Lars didn't have time to brace when the attack sent him and his snowmobile airborne.

From above, Eira heard the distinctive explosion, her connection abruptly cut off from the team. "Lars! Florian!" She tapped agitatedly at her earpiece. All she received was static noise. The urgency to turn around and check on them rode her hard but, Eira knew Lars would want her to finish the mission. They wouldn't be so careless as to get caught by that blast. She trusted they were alive.

Leaning into Xue Long's neck, they dipped towards the truck. "Take out their firepower."

Opening her jaws, Xue Long did the unexpected. Instead of expelling compressed air from her belly, something akin to blue flames fired at the auto cannons, encasing the weapon in solid ice.

Eira gaped in astonishment. "What was that? That was amazing!" she hooted excitedly. "I didn't know you could do that!"

{Me too. First time cold fire.}

"Cold fire?" It seemed they discovered yet another hidden talent of Xue Long's. Interspecies hybridization was prevalent before predation to prevent extinction and to yield stronger, faster, and more adaptive genes. Eira had a feeling Xue Long was exactly that with the exception of being undiscovered.

As soon as they were low enough, she swung her legs over the saddle and jumped, landing on all fours — like a starfish — on the truck's roof. Immediately, she was shot at. She cried out when a surprise bullet went through her calf. Ignoring the pain, she tightened her grip when the vehicle swerved wildly to throw her off. She couldn't even use the huntress.

Suddenly, a man's head popped up beside her, his gun trained on her temple. Before he could pull the trigger, an air blast from above knocked him out of the window. His body slapped and cracked on the snow-covered ground — dead and broken.

"Good job, Xue Long!" she praised her dragon. Adjusting her grip, she smoothly lobbed herself through the window and into the backseat. A ham fist flew into her face, and she jerked to the side. Blood spurted from her nose and the blinding pain told her it was broken.

A smooth, low-bass voice said. "The little girl won't be leaving with you."

Eira's gaze landed on the number four on the man's uniform — a kill hunter Captain. Pinching her fingers over her bleeding nose, she demanded. "Who are you?"

"Captain Tau Lemaota," the dark-skinned captain replied, training his weapon on her. "And it's your unlucky day."

The moment he fired, Eira pounced on him with a savage roar, shoving his arm up at a ninety-degree angle. His gun blasts tore holes in the roof, allowing the frigid air to enter. Grappling with him for the weapon, Eira gritted her teeth and smashed her head into his before slamming the gun out of his hand. She didn't have the chance to retreat when his arms locked around her neck in a chokehold.

She couldn't breathe, her nails digging into his muscled arms. Her free hand fumbled for the collar necklace Kaiser had outfitted her for the occasion. "Use this when you're in danger," he had advised. "A quick yank and it'll break into two small, curved blades — perfect for emergencies."

With a hard tug, one of the blades clattered to the ground but she held the other tightly and stabbed the Captain's arms. He roared with pain, releasing her at once. Turning on him like a cornered animal, she thrusted the blade into his chest multiple times before cutting his throat deeply.

"I'm not so easy to kill, Captain," she hissed out a breath, turning her attention the driver. Holding the blade against his neck, she commanded, "Stop the vehicle or this is going to be lodged inside your corpse."

"Fuck you, bitch!" the driver cursed, stepping hard on the brakes.

Eira flew to the front, her entire body slamming into the dashboard. A pain-filled cry escaped her, and she didn't have time to brace when he shot her multiple times in the chest. The driver watched in horror as her body expelled his bullets and knitted back again.

Well, would you look at that, Eira thought. Speaking of which, her nose was already healed.

"Y-you-you-you monster!" the driver screamed, clambering out of the truck.

"That's a first," she muttered, swiping the gun he left behind and shot him in the head.

Even with her newly acquired regeneration ability, getting shot still hurt like a bitch. Moving to the truck's cargo bed, she unlocked the doors and wrenched them open. Climbing in, she found Jade lying inside a system automated chamber, and it couldn't be unlocked without a retinal scan. Shit. They didn't prepare for this.

Deciding to take a risk, she grabbed the fire extinguisher in the corner and started pounding the glass until it broke. Hurriedly, she pulled the little girl out and checked for signs of injuries. Apart from a slight skin discolouration, Jade was unharmed and appeared to be in a deep sleep. In fact, she looked so human, Eira was beginning to wonder how trustworthy the First Lieutenant's source was. She dug her bag for a blanket and wrapped it around Jade's shoulders, hefting her onto Xue Long's back before mounting. Raising a scented cloth to the dragon's nostrils, she ordered. "Track it."

Up they went into the air, headed directly for Mickael's team at the edge of the nearby forest. Eira spotted the group from above, circling down to meet the four suited figures.

"Good job, Eira." Freya came forth to greet her.

"Freya!" Eira exclaimed breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

Freya grinned behind her goggles. "The Captain voiced your concerns about the safe house, so I volunteered to come knowing it would reassure you that Jade will be well protected."

Lars…he did this for her peace of mind?

Eira dismounted and handed Jade to Freya's men. "Will I ever see her again?"

"As soon as we verify that she's not a threat to herself and the public," Freya promised, taking in Eira's disapproving face. "You know we cannot risk the possibility of her harming anyone or herself. This is a necessary procedure. I promise you she'll be fine."

Grudgingly, Eira nodded. She trusted Freya with her life and knew Jade would be in safe hands. "Alright, I trust you."

The bundle that was Jade squirmed and suddenly, a wet, gurgling sound came from the man carrying her.

"What's going on?" Freya whirled around.

Everyone was stunned when their comrade collapsed in a pool of blood, dropping Jade. Eira dove forward to grab the girl but stopped short at the horrifying sight of a monster. "J-Jade? Is that you?"

Rising from the blanket, a pair of yellow slit eyes regarded her with cold, reptilian calculation. Gone were her beautiful green eyes. Iridescent green scales marked the girl's temples and a forked tongue darted from between dark lips. The cause of the man's death were the protruding curved bone-structures from Jade's elbows, reminiscing scythe blades dripping with blood.

Eira shuffled forward, her hands outstretched. "Jade? It's me, Eira. Don't you remember me?"

The creature called Jade opened its mouth and released an eerie, shrill cry that had everyone covering their ears right before it pounced. Eira stood frozen in despair rather than fear. What had they done to this innocent, little girl? There wasn't a trace of humanity left on her face as the monster flew and tackled her to the ground. Eira held back the raging creature as it tried to claw off her face.

"Eira!" she heard Freya's distressed call. "Hurry up! Get the sedatives!"

Eira flinched when Jade scratched the skin off her cheeks, her claw-tipped fingers coming away with bits of her flesh.

{Master!}

"Xue Long, stand down!" Eira snapped, feeling the predator's intent to kill Jade.

"Who the hell are you!" She heard Freya shouting at someone. Eira couldn't see what was going on, hearing a chorus of agitated voices and distinct pop! pop! of bullets that were carried away by the turbulent wind.

"Do you need a hand, Eira?"

That cultured voice! She recognized it. Jerking her head to the side, she spotted a pair of polished brown shoes.

"I expected this would happen." Another pair of black boots appeared beside the brown ones. "Novak must be trying to play God again."

Irritated, she clenched her teeth, the veins in her temples popping. "If you have time for a chit-chat perhaps you wouldn't mind getting her off me first."

A short silence.

Jade's weight lifted off her and the little girl mechanically shifted away, giving Eira a glimpse of her unlikely saviours. It was Regis Ciel and — she inhaled sharply — "Veres Falconer."