Page 73 of Marc
I pressed the trigger.
Flames shot out. A cocoon cluster closest to me was engulfed, burning fast. I watched the flames eating away at a cocoon. A dark shadow of something moved inside.
Be free.
We walked forward, spewing flames all around. The three of us worked together, covering the space. Smoke filled the air, along with the stench of burning.
I didn’t pause, but I glanced back. Colbie stood by the door, watching. Jameson, North, and Kai were kicking over blackened cocoons and pointing out others for us to burn.
I walked deeper into the room, aiming for several large cocoons. As soon as the flames hit it, a creature burst out of one.
Shit.
It hit the floor, skidded, then shook its spiked head. It looked feline, its powerful body coated in brown fur.
Its head whipped up. I aimed the hose and sprayed more flames at it, but its muscles bunched. It leaped over the fire.
Shit. It bounded my way and the heat wasn’t stopping it.
A carbine whined. Kai appeared, firing on the monster.
It crashed to the floor. I shifted, engulfing its body in flames. I watched the fur melt off it.
“Thanks, Kai.” Then I heard a familiar clicking sound and whirled. “Threaders.”
Three of them glided in, moving in an agitated manner.
Shit, Colbie was right there. She ducked down, holding her blaster aimed at the monsters.
I needed to get their attention.
“Hey! You faceless motherfuckers.” I sent more flames spilling onto the floor. “Over here.”
The threaders focused on me.
“Kai, aim the net!” Jameson bellowed.
The smoke in the room was growing, and it was getting hard to see. The threaders disappeared into the haze.
“I’ve lost them,” Kai yelled.
“Everyone get out,” Jameson said. “Regroup.”
We all jogged back into the hangar, and Jameson slammed the maintenance doors closed.
I sucked in air, my eyes stinging from the smoke.
Then I froze. “Where’s Colbie?”
“She wasn’t in the maintenance room,” Jess said. “I brought up the rear.”
I scanned around. “She was standing right by the door when the threaders came in.”
That’s when I saw scuff marks in the debris on the floor. I swung the flamethrower hose behind me and clipped it to the pack. I took two steps, my insides freezing.
Crouching, I picked up the blaster lying on the concrete floor.
Kai was there in an instant and bent down on one knee. He touched the floor with his gloved fingers, then looked up.
