Chapter 60 – Controlling the Shadows

The plan was simple. The execution? Not so much.

I crouched in the frozen undergrowth, the cold biting through my gear. The Void Stalker was close—I could feel it. A suffocating stillness settled over the forest, the kind that only came when predators lurked nearby. My breath fogged in the icy air as I adjusted my grip on the tranquilizer rifle. This had to work.

Ray's voice crackled in my earpiece. "I still think this is insane."

He wasn't wrong.

A Void Stalker wasn't just another creature. It was a nightmare with claws. Intelligent. Adaptive. Lethal. And I was trying to capture one.

Not just capture. Control.

The why gnawed at me more than I wanted to admit. Part of me knew it was strategic—having one as a guard would give the base an edge no human force could match. But there was another part of me, a darker part, that wondered: How far am I willing to go?

Daniel's voice came through next. "Movement, six o'clock. It knows something's off."

I tensed. The bait was set—a fresh carcass laced with a neural suppressant, enough to slow it down but not kill it. If it worked, we'd move to phase two: triggering the trap.

The first complication hit fast.

A second Void Stalker.

Shit.

My heart pounded as another figure shifted in the shadows, just beyond my line of sight. The data we had suggested they were solitary hunters. So why were there two?

Ray must have seen it too. "James, pull back. This isn't the fight you want."

I clenched my jaw. I couldn't. If I hesitated now, the whole plan fell apart.

I exhaled slowly, aiming at the first Void Stalker as it approached the bait. Its form shimmered, adapting to the environment, a distortion in the air rather than a solid figure. My finger tightened on the trigger—

The second one moved.

Too fast.

A blur of shadow and teeth lunged toward me. I fired reflexively, but the dart went wide. It hit a tree, hissing as the chemical seeped into the bark. I barely had time to roll before razor-sharp claws slashed through the air where my head had been.

System Alert: Hostile Adaptation Detected

That was the second complication. The damn thing was learning from its own attacks.

I hit the ground hard, scrambling back as it snarled. A flicker of movement—Daniel fired from his perch, striking the first Void Stalker in the leg. It let out a guttural screech, the suppressant kicking in. But the second one wasn't stopping.

I needed to change tactics. Fast.

The trap was motion-activated. If I could lure the second Void Stalker into the right position—

I ran.

The creature followed, its breath hot on my neck. I led it straight into the perimeter of the EMP net—one of the modifications I'd made to the trap. A pulse of electromagnetic energy erupted around us.

The Void Stalker screamed.

Its cloaking flickered. It staggered, disoriented, giving me the opening I needed.

I didn't hesitate.

I fired another dart, this time hitting it square in the chest. It let out a final snarl before collapsing. Its body convulsed, muscles twitching as the suppressants took hold.

Silence.

I stood there, heart pounding, staring at the downed creature.

Daniel approached first, rifle still raised. "Tell me this is worth it."

I didn't answer.

Because deep down, I wasn't sure.

The Psychological Cost

Back at the base, we secured the Void Stalker in a reinforced containment unit. The sedation wouldn't last forever, but it would give me time to work.

Ray was the first to confront me.

"This is a mistake."

I didn't respond right away. I was still staring at the creature. Even in its sedated state, it radiated pure malice.

"We control this," I said finally, "we change the rules of the war."

Ray shook his head. "You sound like them."

I stiffened. "Like who?"

"The Syndicate. They think they can control everything. Bend it to their will."

I exhaled, forcing myself to stay calm. "This is different."

Ray's expression darkened. "Is it?"

I didn't have an answer.

Lily entered the room, her face pale. "You're really doing this?"

I turned to the system console, ignoring the gnawing feeling in my gut. I needed to understand this thing. Its biology, its weaknesses, its mind.

The system flickered to life.

[Analyzing Subject…]

[Void Stalker – Adaptation Tier: High]

[Cognitive Pattern Detected: Rudimentary Hive-Link]

I frowned. Hive-Link? The creatures weren't supposed to communicate beyond basic instincts. But if this was true…

My blood ran cold.

The Void Stalker wasn't alone.

It never was.

Ray saw my expression. "What?"

I hesitated, then turned back to him. "We need to move. Now."

"Why?"

I looked at the screen again.

Because I had just trapped a creature that wasn't supposed to be alone.

And something was coming to get it.

This was a turning point for James. Do you think he made the right call, or is he going too far?

And what do you think is coming next?

Drop your thoughts below!