Chasing the Dragon

Time was running out. I needed to find Wolf so we could get the fuck out of Dodge. A task that was beginning to look bleak because of the rain pouring down in sheets.

The rain had soaked all the way to my bones and it felt as if icy needles were digging into my skin, stinging with each drop that hit my body. My water-logged clothes clung uncomfortably to my body and weighed me down, making each step a chore as I navigated the construction.

If it hadn't been for piercing construction lights drawing power from the backup generators of the hospital, I wouldn't have been able to see my own hand in front of my face.

All it did was remind me that I was alone.

Again.

Familiar fear and panic settled deep within me and I clung to my weapon with both hands like a lifeline. I prayed that my hands weren't so wet that it went flying out of them at some point. That's just what I would need.

The xenomorphs were drawn out by the helicopter's departure.

They started to track me and my progress across the roof, clambering over catwalks and casting shadows across the opaque tarps littered about the rooftop, covering various surfaces and protecting them from construction.

Rather than attempt to fight them all by my lonesome, I opted to sprint across the more open area of the roof toward the other side where I could lose them in the equipment.

/I have to find Wolf . . . ,/ I thought desperately. /I'm no match for an entire horde . . ./

On high alert, I managed to spot an oncoming drone from the corner of my eye and I dropped to the ground as it pounced, sailing over me. I caught the thing mid-jump with a fairly awkward swing from my left and the sharp blade sliced right through its midsection, cleaving it in two.

I rolled away from the body parts that dropped around me, hoping upon hope that the rain would dilute any acid blood that splattered me.

With some luck, I wouldn't have any of my limbs melted off.

"Wolf!" I shouted, ducking underneath some framework and pausing when one of the drones launched overhead again.

If I hadn't moved down in time, it probably would have tackled and pinned me.

I didn't know how well yelling was going to help, but I needed to do something. The black bugs already knew where I was, so it wouldn't make anything worse at least.

Underneath the metal beam, I was shielded briefly from the rain. I didn't plan on sticking around, though, and I dove right back into the downpour, barely avoiding a barbed tail thrust in my direction.

The alien bug squealed with rage and came at me—black on black. If their chitinous exoskeletons weren't so reflective, I never would have seen any of them coming.

Thankfully, though, the light glinted off their natural armor and I had a small frame of reference to where they were. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the time being. I was still practically swinging my sword around blindly, trying to land blows.

So far, they were all whiffs. I'd used up all my good fortune earlier chopping the one in half.

Another drone launched itself at me, but I rolled out of the way, sliding on the wet surface of the roof and further soaking myself—if that was even possible.

After some scrambling, I managed to stand back up and took off running again. Adrenaline kept me going, kept the chills at bay, but they were started to seep deep inside me and I had to fight the urge to curl up and shiver.

They had the upper hand in the dark, wet environment. I needed to keep running, maybe find somewhere to hide. Just long enough to regroup and come up with something better.

Again, I called for Wolf, yelling at the top of my lungs. "Wolf! I'm here."

Still, I could barely hear myself over the rain and distant screeches, so I didn't have much hope that he could, either. I wasn't even sure he was even on the roof yet.

But what else could I do?

The plan, at first, had been to head back into the hospital to track down my alien knight, but I was all turned around. The bugs had me running all over the place, barely avoiding their teeth and claws through sheer virtue of my reflexes and smaller size.

I was slowly losing my momentum, though, and there was no traction on the roof to speak of. The shoes I was wearing were more for running on dry pavement than dodging and weaving atop a wet roof.

Even if I had been able to make it back inside, the enemy was coming from within; they were abandoning their nest to seek out threats and possible hosts. I wouldn't have been able to go inside at all with a growing hive to fight through.

I would just have to keep fighting until Wolf and I found each other.

If I could force them into a bottleneck it would be easier for me to pick them off in tight quarters. Then I'd stand a chance. Since I was on an open roof, I knew that finding something like that would be next to impossible.

Finally, though, I did succeed in finding a corner between one of the finished sections of the new wing. I didn't know what was on the other side—offices, more recovery rooms, maybe��but whatever it was, it was close enough to what I was looking for that I scrambled to back into it.

The lighting wasn't ideal due to the position of the construction lights, but all I needed was to catch my breath and gain my bearings.

My legs were shaking and sore, my lungs felt like they were on fire, but I couldn't remain idle for too long. I just needed a short break. Only for a few moments.

I just want to catch my breath . . . .

Three alien drones snarled down at me, perching on the wall above me.

/Shit! I forgot they can move vertically, too!/

I scrambled away from the wall, peering up at the aliens and blinking away rainwater. I watched them closely, gauging whether or not they were going to pounce. They crawled down the sides of the wall, their tails lashing, and then an angry shriek came from my side.

Out of instinct, I swung wildly with my sword.

The drone trying to sneak up on my retreated with a high-pitched whine. One of the others moved too close to me and I made a crazy slash to ward it off only to have the thing wail and retreat just like the first one had.

I couldn't figure out what they were doing. Why they weren't attacking, just harassing me.

The third one dropped down next to me but quickly bounded away before I could even turn, making me stumble away in terror . . . it had been so close. I would have been dead.

So why wasn't I?

We continued that awful dance across the roof with me trying hard to watch my own six. My enemies would move in as if to strike, I'd counter, and then they'd withdraw. I found myself shouting and cursing at them, trying to bait them into making a commitment, but they were content to herd me around the roof, goading me over and over.

"Come on! Fucking do something. Try it, fuckers! Come see what you'll get," I bellowed, frantic—scared—confused.

Not for one minute did I believe they were afraid of me. Why not swarm? Why not charge? My attacks became sloppier as I grew frustrated and exhausted, my body heavy from the wet clothes sticking to my skin.

They're herding me, I realized. But to where? Why?

Out of habit, or instinct, or desperation, I opened my mouth to call once more for Wolf. As loud as I could, to draw him over.

He had to be up there with me, he just had to be.

I was at a loss for what to do against more than a couple of these dreadful creatures, let alone when they were playing cat and mouse.

But I couldn't. I could barely breathe thanks to the rain and my exhaustion. My voice would not work.

I maneuvered myself until I was backed against a scaffolding to prevent anymore sneak attacks. They surrounded me with their lips drawn back and their tails arched over their backs.

Slowly, with painstakingly slow steps, they approached.

With nowhere else to go, there was only one option left to me. I took a few deep breaths and tried to find my center, tried to stop my hands from shaking, but my whole body was battling tremors from the cold, adrenaline, and terror.

My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword until my knuckles turned white. I wasn't going to stand there and wait for them to do whatever it was they were going to do.

I couldn't wait around for Wolf to come help me.

I didn't have time to, not with them bearing down on me.

No, I was going to go to them.

Raising my blade up in preparation, I released the breath I was holding and charged.

My enemies screeched and swayed, surprised by my sudden display, and then the floor beneath them erupted into a spray of mortar and drywall. Dust and dirt exploded outward and I stumbled back in surprise, nearly falling before I caught my balance and staggered away.

They were sent scattering like roaches, screeching and growling in alarm, and then Wolf jumped up from the hole he'd made, guns blazing and ready for a fight. So to speak, anyway, seeing how I was the one who had his gun.

"Wolf!" I gasped, hauling myself back to my feet.

He turned to face me, then whipped around when the drones finally recovered and swarmed him. My first instinct was to pass him his weapon, but it would be impossible while he was fending off an attack from all sides.

For the time being, he'd have to make do without it until a better opportunity presented itself. He was a big, tough guy. I had faith in him.

Seeing him alive and well filled me with determination. I came to his aid and swung at the drone standing between us. It squealed and moved out of the way, ducking around to Wolf's other side and filling the gap left by one he had hurled away.

Something sounded off to my left and I spun around to find one of them leaping down at me from atop the wall. I swung and ducked at the same time, throwing myself into a roll as the alien slammed down where I had been.

I had been trying to chop its head off, but all I did was chip its shoulder spike.

Undeterred, it stood back up and came at me again. I braced myself for a fight, and then a thick whip wrapped around its head and yanked it back.

With it restrained, I lunged and drove my sword through its chest, twisted, and then yanked it free. The drone's screech turned into a bloody gurgle and I sliced its head in half with another swing, ending its life.

Wolf pulled his whip free and cocked his head at me.

"Thanks," I muttered, wiping my face on my arm. I wondered how he was faring with the rain, but he looked unbothered.

He chuffed and then pivoted on his heels, snapping at a pouncing drone with his whip and driving it back. It squealed and retreated behind a power box. It was the last one—the rest had either been killed by him or had fled to regroup with more of their hive mates.

"Did you call the ship?" I asked, approaching him now that we had a moment of respite. "We need to go. That tactical strike will be here any minute."

I watched over my shoulder for danger, listening to Wolf's affirmation. I half expected to see Devon hobbling after me from around some corner like the misguided stray dog he was, but there was nothing.

The chopper was gone, and so was he.

Still, just to be sure, I asked Wolf, "Is there anyone up here with us? Humans, I mean."

He snorted and jumped up on the divider I'd been backed against, scanning the area. I faced away from him and remained alert in case more drones came back for round two. I'd slowly grown accustomed to seeing in these conditions, so playing look-out was a little easier.

The hole Wolf had punched his way out of crumbled and I jumped, then let out my breath in an irritated huff.

Just a fucking rock.

Just as Wolf called out to me, a pair of drones blind-sided him, throwing him off the barrier and out of my field of view.

My heart dropped down there with him and I tried to run around the barrier to come to his aid, but a strange noise echoed up from the hole in the roof. I paused long enough to watch another giant, muscular alien leap on out and land in front of me.

All I could do was gawk up at the Hybrid as she greeted me with an earth-shaking roar��then she dove at me.

She hit me hard and fast in the abdomen with a thick forearm, slamming me back-first against the wall. Pain lanced up my spine and I arched my back, wheezing out a pained cough—the backpack I wore softened some of the blow, but not enough.

Something, I realized in horror, had definitely cracked when she'd hit me.

She didn't leave me hardly any time to recover from the blow before she was lunging at me again. I had the wherewithal to throw my arms up to shield against her, still armed with my sword, but my reactions were sluggish and ungainly.

The Hybrid smacked me with her heavy tail, disarming me and once again sending a new wave of agony all the way up to my shoulders.

Instantly, I knew my dominant hand was broken. Stars splashed across my vision.

The Hybrid shoved me back against the wall as if trying to push me all the way through it. I kicked at her, and then she was wrenched off me and thrown several feet away. I slumped to the ground and wheezed in pain.

For one confused second, I thought I'd somehow come into superhuman strength, but through the rain, I could make out Wolf grappling with the Hybrid. Their forms silhouetted against the construction lights, lit up occasional by a bolt of lightning arcing across the sky.

Wolf had her snared with his whip, pulling it taut around her throat as he dragged her backward. That was my chance.

After wiggling the backpack off my shoulders, I braced it between my legs and used my good hand to unzip it so I could fish around for what I was looking for. All my random shit I'd forgotten was in there, the beacon, and—there! The cannon I'd been holding for him.

I pulled it out, setting it aside so I could zip the bag up and put it back on.

Wolf's onslaught had devolved into a fistfight after the Hybrid finally ripped the whip right out of his hand. I picked up my weapon by the blade and tucked it under my arm, then groped around in the shallow puddles for Wolf's gun.

The rain had flooded the roof under an inch or two of water. I could only hope that it wouldn't render it useless.

I switched it out with my sword so the gun was now tucked under my arm and I was holding my weapon by the grip. All I had to do was keep the gun safe until I could hand it off.

Then, I stood and fought through the aching discomfort all over my body to join Wolf.

It was two against one. The odds were in our favor and now was my chance to earn my keep while I was at Wolf's side.

Each breath made it feel like sharp thorns filled my chest and my right hand was uselessly pressed against my stomach, but I still had two legs—alright, they weren't in the best condition, either—and one good hand.

That had to count for something.

After Wolf dodge-rolled to put some distance between him and the Hybrid, I had even more running to do. My legs were already threatening to drop me, but I pushed on all the same.

The Hybrid turned her head as if to look at me, then slipped away before I could catch up, disappearing into the sheet rain and electrical boxes before as Wolf got to his feet.

He reached out to me and I took his arm, comforted by his warmth.

"Here, your gun," I choked out.

Wolf took it and pushed me behind him, one arm held up protectively and the other ready to fire his weapon.

"Where did that bitch go?" I muttered, scanning the darkness.

Behind me, Wolf growled what I could only assume was a similar sentiment.

"You know where she gets this shit from, right?" I huffed at Wolf, referencing the hybrid's tendency to disappear into thin air.

He chittered in exasperation and I said, "Yeah, from you all!"

It was probably too soon to be making light of poor Jailbreak, but I was really fucking irritated.

"Where is she?" I asked again, this time more seriously.

When he had no new information for me, I scoffed. "You're the one with the fancy high-tech mask. What do you mean you don't know where she is?"

Wolf snorted and babbled something at me.

All I could do was roll my eyes.

A drone dropped down dropped from a scaffolding and landed almost on top of Wolf. It screeched at us and moved back, and then the Hybrid barreled through from the opposite direction, shoving Wolf across the roof with one powerful blow.

He skidded several yards away and the drone ran after him, leaving me alone with the Hybrid. Using the momentum from her charge, she spun around and caught me with her tail.

My sword skittered out of sight, clattering against something within the darkness.

I was still reeling from the strike when she pounced on me like a wildcat, dropping me to the ground and landing on my chest. I had enough time to draw in a single, needle-filled breath as she adjusted her weight.

Weakly, I put my hands up to fend off her attack, but it was all useless.

Nothing I did could throw her off of me.

Nothing I could do stopped her from forcing herself through my defenses and shoving her face in mine—gagging me and lighting my throat on fire. I couldn't see, I couldn't breathe, and my mind completely shut down.

The strength seeped from my limbs as everything fell apart. I kicked the air weakly and I clawed at her.

Then I swallowed.