Chase of the Chimera
Over a river, Jenna, an Irish Zeus Corps Pilot is driving her Sphinx Aircraft over a river. Aboard are Brock, Shawn, Catherine and Jenna. They notice the birds flying over or next to them, before they manage to pass a crater.
Jenna: what a shame.....Doc, you got a bull-cow herd coming up on your right.
Catherine looks out the sliding door view.
Catherine: Thanks.
Below them is a herd of mutant cows mixed with bulls.
Catherine: Look's like the healthy kind....and some younglings too.
The Sphinx Aircraft passes over Hoover Dam. Jenna pilots her copter to swoop down. Shawn yells out in excitement. Jenna looks back and laughs.
Jenna: Did you like that?
The Sphinx Aircraft hovers over the sands of the North Dakota Camps. Shawn, wielding an assault rifle jumps out as the Sphinx Aircraft lands. Catherine and Mark step out as Brock steps out with his shotgun aimed.
Brock: We're clear....
Catherine walks over to the front of the Sphinx Aircraft, before she speaks into her earpiece.
Catherine: Jenna, shut it down. We'll be a couple minutes long.
Jenna shuts the Sphinx Aircraft down.
Catherine: Mark, where's your pad?
Mark: My pad? Hang on, I'll get it.
Shawn, Catherine and Mark leave as Catherine raises her hand to Brock.
Catherine: Stay with Jenna. We already have this dipshit with a gun to spook the natives.
Shawn bites his lip and gives Catherine the middle finger.
Shawn: Someone needs to raise your voice an octave.
Brock: Yes, ma'am....
Shawn, Catherine, and Mark search around the forest. A noise startles Shawn as he points his rifle toward a band of monkeys.
Catherine: Pre Matured Male Monkeys....Don't worry, they're not hostile.
Catherine puts her hand on Shawn's rifle and smacks it down.
Catherine: Relax, sweetheart. You're gonna make them hostile.
Shawn: Hey, ever since I've been in the hell hole, I've ran into a lot of freaky shit.....including a Living Monolith....
Mark: You ran into a Living Monolith and lived?!
Shawn: And took it down too....burned it alive and blew its head clean off....
Catherine: Whoopty doo.
The trio find an abandoned Elementary School.
Mark: So, are you sure we'll find something here?
Catherine: Something is better than nothing.
The trio enters the school. Shawn looks around as Catherine and Mark are looking at the books.
Mark checks his pad for any signs of radiation.
Mark: Area's clear of radiation.
Catherine: This whole sector's clear of radiation...I come here most times to collect items...I was a teacher once you know.
Mark: Were you?
Catherine: Yeah...I was....There were tons of kids, just playing around.
Mark: I bet that was fun.
Catherine: It was....Yes, for about three years before this whole thing began....so we'll just have to take samples of radioactive fluids for the past couple of years. Probably just Raider's or Ghouls...
Shawn is looking around, while as Mark finds the book "Where the Wild things are". He hands it to Catherine.
Catherine laughs.
Catherine: Oh, yeah, this was the kids' favorite. It would read them to sleep sometimes. I'm hoping that sometimes kids would come in here to look at the things of the past.
Mark: Do you believe that this is world for kids anymore?
Catherine: I'd like to think so sometimes....
Shawn looks at the medium sized bat creatures hanging on the roof. Shawn backs up to the chalkboard as he notices bullet size holes in the chalkboard.
Shawn: What happened here?
Catherine looks at Shawn.
Catherine: You just gonna sit there looking pretty or you gonna help us? We're wasting time.
Catherine walks out of the school as Mark looks at Shawn.
Shawn: What did I do?
Mark shrugs. The three continue to walk through the forest as Catherine and Mark take samples of the root containing radioactive fluids of a dying tree. Catherine uses her syringe, while Mark uses his scanners for life. Mark opens his mouth. The scanner is going through the woods very fast.
Mark: Wow! That's cool.
Catherine nods her head and laugh.
Catherine: Yeah, the future is amazing, ain't it? So that is the speed of the energy of the dirt to the root of the tree. The fluids pure, so we should take the sample.
Shawn walks off as Catherine and Mark are collecting the radioactive fluids. Shawn finds a giant spider web with a dead raider caught in it.
Shawn: Catherine. Mark, take a look at this.
Catherine and Mark walk up to Shawn, and stare at the giant web.
Mark: What the hell?
Catherine: Predators....it's nature. I guess he was the hunter and then became the hunted.
Shawn spots a bush of beautiful plants before pulls out his machete and starts cutting them down and putting them in his bag. He spots a dandle line that is bright purple, before he kneels down as touches it, just as a noise startles him. Shawn aims his rifle in the direction of the noise. The noise appears to be a dog that stepped on a twig.
Shawn: Hey, little guy...Where'd you come from? Huh?
Shawn kneels as the dog backs away.
Shawn: Oh, no...no....I'm not going to hurt you...
Shawn lends out his hand.
Shawn: Come here, boy....come here....come here...
After some hesitation, the dog walks over and sniffs Shawn's hand, before Shawn manages to pet the dog.
Shawn: There you go, boy....
Catherine walks to Shawn and notices him petting the dog, before she clears throat.
Shawn: Found this little guy...
Catherine walks up to Shawn.
Catherine: You know? There's still a thing called rabies going around.
Shawn: Ah...I think he's friendly...
The dog licks Shawn as he is still being petted, causing Shawn to laugh. A noise startles the dog as the dog runs off into the woods.
Shawn: Well...that was fun...
Catherine: You know....I think you're the first soldier I've seen to ever do that.
Shawn: What? Pet a stray dog.
Catherine: Yeah....that and not shoot it.
Shawn and Catherine share a moment, before Mark walks in.
Mark: So...what I miss?
Suddenly, a giant bear mutant with Jaguar lands in front of them. The Bearguar roars at them as Shawn aims her rifle at the mutated creature.
Shawn: What the fuck is that?!
Catherine: Don't shoot.....Do not shoot! You will piss that thing off!
The Bearguar walks on his four legs toward them, knocking down the trees in front of him.
Shawn: This thing's already fucking pissed!
Catherine: Shawn, your bullets will penetrate through that thing, but won't have any effect.
Shawn: In English.
Catherine: It won't kill him.
Shawn puts his rifle aside.
Shawn: Shit!
Catherine: It's seeing you as a threat. Don't make any sudden moves or he'll attack.
Shawn: So, what do I do? Just stand here with my dick in my hand?!
Catherine: Shawn.....just keep still.
The Bearguar growls and charges at Shawn.
Shawn: Fuck it!
Shawn screams at the Bearguar and it suddenly stops in front of him. Shawn laughs in relief as the creature backs away in fear.
Shawn: Yeah, c'mon! The fuck you got, huh?! Oh, yeah, that's right! Who's the king of the forest now, bitch?!
The Bearguar turns around and runs away. Behind Shawn, a giant spider like creature balled up, opens and sticks to the tree.
Shawn: Yeah, that's right; get your big furry ass back to mama! You think you're bad?! Tell your friends! The big ones too. Tell em soldier boy wants a piece of them, too.
Catherine: You really are something, Shawn.
Catherine joins Shawn as Mark turns in the spider's direction.
Mark: Uh....doc....I don't think it was Shawn that scared that thing away.
Shawn: Oh, no, it just didn't want a piece of-
Shawn turns around and notices the giant spider, with a scorpion tail. It's first two legs are scorpion claws.
Shawn: Holy shit....Catherine, move!
The Spider crawls above the trees as Shawn aims his rifle as the Chimera mutant that lands in front of him and Catherine.
Mark: That's what made the web earlier....
Shawn: So, what about this thing? Shoot? Don't shoot? Run? Do I run?
The Chimera Mutant snaps its claws, preparing to strike.
Catherine: Run! Fucking run for it!
Catherine and Shawn run as the Scorpion/ Spider mutant being to chase after the two. During the chase, the Chimera attacks both Shawn and Catherine with its claws and tail as they manage to dodge its attacks.
Shawn: There! The cabin go!
The two manage to retreat in a small cabin, but Chimera jumps on top of it and start breaking the roof. The Chimera breaks through as Shawn begins to shoot at. The Chimera is hit a few times, but skids. Shawn reloads and opens fire again, but the Chimera snatches the rifle from him, using its web line. The Chimera breaks in through the roof. Shawn and Catherine run out of the cabin, and the Chimera breaks in through the door. Shawn and Catherine manage to jump down into a steep hill, as the Chimera jumps down and catches the back of Shawn's torso armor with a zip line web.
Catherine: Shawn!
Shawn crawls away, but the Chimera shoots a web at his torso armor and stings him up. Catherine pulls out her sidearm and shoots the Chimera multiple times. In slow motion, Shawn presses the ejection button on his armor, releasing him, before he falls on the ground and gets up. Catherine tends to him.
Catherine: Are you all right?!
Shawn: Yeah, I'm fine! Move! Go! Go!
Shawn and Catherine run with Chimera chasing them. Shawn and Catherine finally manage to escape by jumping off a cliff and into a river. The Chimera tries to claw at Shawn and Catherine but misses barely. The two lands in the river, which carries Shawn and Catherine into the rainfall. The rainfall carries Shawn and Catherine as the two falls into the river. Shawn and Catherine manage to reach land.
Shawn: (coughs) shit!
Catherine tries to contact Mark, using their earpiece.
Catherine: Mark.....Mark, can you read me?!
Shawn: anything?
Catherine: No, nothing.
Shawn: Well, he may have gone back to the chopper....How much ammo you got?
Catherine: Two clips.....you?
Shawn: Lost my rifle....
Shawn equips bayonet.
Shawn: but I sure as shit ain't defenseless.
Catherine: Let's hope faith will be with us....
In the forest, James lands on the dirt, before he pulls crossbow out, and points it forward in his direction. He walks for a few minutes, until he reaches the cliff. He looks down and notices the Chimera on the other side of the forest. James then climbs down through the vines, and trees. James climbs into a tree and looks into his binoculars. Looking at the shoulder of Catherine's shirt, he notice's the Kronos Logo on the back of her jacket. Giving a look, James puts the binoculars down, and arms his crossbow. He then aims it at Catherine, who is still looking forward. James prepares to pull the trigger, but he stops when Shawn approaches her. His eyes widened as his finger releases the trigger.
James: (quietly) Shawn.
James puts the crossbow around his back, before he then climbs down the tree. Above the forest, Jenna rides her Sphinx Aircraft around. Mark is looking down with her binoculars with Brock looking down, scouting.
Jenna: Mark. We gotta call this off. We don't have permission to run night operations.
Mark puts his binoculars down in despair and gives a saddened look.
Jenna: I'm sorry, love. They'll have to hold out till the morning.
Mark touches his earpiece.
Mark: If they're lucky....
Jenna: The doc's got Shawn with her....they'll make it....I hope....
The Sphinx Aircraft rides off into the sunset. In the mines, multiple Skinwalkers are seen moving crates of dead bodies, body parts, or weapons further into the mines. One of the Skinwalkers near one of the entrances is seen having a cigarette. The Skinwalker is then grabbed from behind, and has his neck instantly snapped. Mitchell comes from the entrance with the rest of the group sneaking in.
Mitchell: Okay....so if we're gonna blow up the dam....the exit to the dam would be...
Mitchell points over the third cave hole entrance to the right.
Mitchell: Over there...The Ghouls usually store their prisoners in the coal rooms.
Sarah: Why would they do something that terrible?
Mitchell: To bury their prisoners in coal, after torturing them, so they can slowly suffocate.
Billy: Sounds like what Viet Kong would do to their prisoners of war back in the day. My granddad told me stories like that to keep me awake.
Sarah: That sounds like something a savage would do.
Mitchell: Yeah, well, these people are savages.
Nathan: No shit....
Kyle: So does anyone have a plan?
A moment.
Kyle: Okay, then, can we all for a moment, shut the fuck up and think of something?
Beth looks around. Finding nothing, she puts her head on her elbows.
Beth: (raspberry) Damn.
Beth looks down and suddenly spots a crate full of dynamites.
Beth: Hey, we could use those.
The others look down at the crate of dynamites.
Caleb: hmmm....Dynamites, good thinking, little sis.
Caleb and Kyle climb down and get behind the cart. Zed grabs the cigarette of the dead Ghoul.
Zed: Excuse me.
Zed attempts to smoke it, until Mitchell takes it from him.
Mitchell: Really, dude? That's disgusting. You could catch something from that.
Zed: What? Skinwalker Cancer?
Mitchell throws the cigarette in the crate of dynamites as it lights the fuse to one of the dynamites. Kyle and Caleb look at the crate, then each other.
Kyle: (quietly) push!
The two grunt as they push the crate.
Caleb: Jesus, Mitchell, you could've waited until we was pushing the fucking crate and then throw the cigarette.
Kyle: Dude, just fucking push!
A ghoul looks in their direction just as they manage to push the crate enough to get it automatically fast enough to ram into the wall. The dynamite explodes as many of the Skinwalkers are killed or blown back by the explosion as the others look at the aftermath of the explosion.
Blake: Holy fuck!
Kyle laughs.
Kyle: I really like your plan!
The Skinwalkers come out with their pistols or assault rifles. One of the Skinwalkers spots the group.
Skinwalker: Over there!
Skinwalker: Kill them!
Nathan: Oh, great. Now, we're got them on our ass!
Kyle: Who cares? Let's just kill them, before they kill us!
The group opens fire onto the Skinwalkers. Billy and Mitchell manage to kill a few with their pistols while Beth, Sarah, and Blake manage to kill a few with their shotguns. Kyle, Nathan and Walter gun down a few with their automatic rifles. The gunfight continues for about three minutes with more Skinwalkers pouring in. Billy notices a grenade on Zed's flap jacket. Billy snatches the grenade off his jacket as Zed notices.
Zed: Hey! That's for emergencies!
Billy: Sorry, Zed! This is an emergency!
Billy bites off the pin and throws the grenade at the Skinwalkers.
Billy: Fire in the hole!
The grenade explodes, killing all of Skinwalkers. The group takes cover as burning debris flies toward them, and lands on the floor.
Zed: Damn!
Kyle: Ahhh!
Caleb: Everyone all right?!
Mitchell: Yeah, I think my hearings fucked up!...wait, wait! It's coming back.
Walter claps his hands near Mitchell's left ear.
Mitchell: Ahhh!
Walter: Can you hear that?
Mitchell: Yes, dick, I can hear.
Walter: Sorry.
Walter laughs as the group climbs down from the wreckage. Blake and Sarah look at the dead bodies of the Skinwalkers.
Blake: Damn.....
Blake looks at Billy.
Blake: For an old man, he's pretty dangerous, but your dad's a lucky man to have killer skills.
Sarah: He's not my dad. He's like a uncle....Our dad....parents are...
Blake: Oh, I'm sorry...
Caleb: You know I'm starting to feel like Tim McGraw singing on his guitar, after breaking up with his girlfriend....
The group looks at Caleb.
Sarah: Who's Tim McGraw?
Beth: Some old country singer....I listened to a couple of his songs....my brother's a dork....
Caleb: I'm trying to say cramped caves make me nauseous.
Nathan: Why didn't you just say that?
Caleb: Because it's like trying to speak in country language.
Nathan: What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Caleb: Just trying to lighten the mood
Kyle: It's all right, Nathan....
The group continues to follow the path. Billy and Kyle talk as they are walking.
Billy: so, where do you think this is going to get us, man?
Kyle: I don't know.....hopefully, to a better home....
Billy: You know, Nathan still wants to head to Fort Warren.
Kyle: He just wants to find a home for his sisters.....
Billy: And what happens to you, Walter and me? Midtown Manhattan could be that home....for not just his sisters, but for us too.....I mean think; it's got bigger walls....a bigger city...cities like that don't pay to the gangs around the wasteland....we could use this.
Kyle: Yeah, we could....
Billy: Someplace for you to find yourself...
Kyle: what's that supposed to mean?
Billy: I've only known you for a few days and I can tell what you are, son. You're a man that hides something from the rest of us, Kyle....Nathan....he slowly trusts you....so does Walter....Sarah....the girl looks up to you....Ashley....she's just a kid....Colin respected you ...gave his nephew a good enough reason too.
Kyle: You think he's still alive?
Billy: I'd like to, son.....I'd like to.