Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Alien hoots and shrieks boomed across the darkening sky, and black shapes rose on wide wings from the strange forest. The sun was dropping to the horizon quicker than Connor had expected, painting the western sky a sickly green and gold. They’d almost certainly crashed farther east than their intended landing site.

Moss crunched beneath Connor’s boots when he jumped down from the closest mound. It had turned out to be rock, but porous and filled with wriggling, worm-like things that spilled out when he climbed to the top. They burst beneath his weight, leaving a minty-smelling, fluorescent blue residue which the moss absorbed from his boot soles.

Sweat dripped down his neck, slicking his armor and dampening his shirt.

He headed back to where Aubriella stood beside Rudy and returned her assault rifle. “That scope’s going to come in handy.”