It took Shaggy a few seconds to realize that his death notification wasn’t coming. The sounds of fighting still filled his ears. But as he picked himself up, he noticed that his vision was still black. He couldn’t see anything, even with his dark-vision. He could stand up just fine and he had a few feet to either side. Shaggy felt pain on his back, face and legs. But his healing was taking care of all that as he stood. It was only when the pain receded everywhere, but his face did he realize what the problem was. Wood shrapnel had shredded his damn eyes.

Shaggy gave a silent thank you to the Gaming Gods for his Pain Suppression skill. Without it, he would probably be rolling on the ground screaming. He was still freaking out, though. Whatever damage the throw had done to him was extensive and was taking a while to heal. He tentatively raised a hand to his face and felt the damage. Slim splinters of wood were embedded in his cheekbones to his forehead. Grimacing, Shaggy pulled a few out, hoping that would speed up the healing. He felt a little better while his healing repaired the damage, but he just knew this was going to be a hell of a drain on his ability.

The sounds of fighting, yelling, and gunshots filled the entire house. Shaggy was sure he even heard electricity snapping loudly. He hoped that meant his people had finally damaged one of the damn things. Levy seemed to do well, but his pack was almost useless. Even with their enhanced strength and ability. His claws also proved ineffective. The things had rarely failed him before. Shaggy grunted as he pulled another splinter from his face. He could feel his healing pushing some of the things out, too.

After what felt like hours, but was probably only a couple minutes, Shaggy got enough splinters out for his eyes to repair themselves. Glancing around the room, Shaggy grasped that he was in a small closet built under the stairs. He had been thrown through the staircase entirely and wound up here. Collecting himself, he dashed out of the ruined staircase and took stock of his surroundings.

On the ground in front of the staircase, Cekrass wrestled with the giant robot. Standing above the robot and lizard-man, Vick was dumping every bullet he had into the thing human-shaped head. Most of the bullets pinged off dangerously, but Vick ignored them as he kept firing. Shaggy could hear Rita and Levy still fighting in the dining room and rushed to help Cekrass and Vick. They had gotten the thing down, but Cekrass was taking a beating.

Shaggy slid to the head of the giant robot and clasped his hands together. Vick stepped back and reloaded his pistols as Shaggy brought both of his hands down on the robot’s head as hard as he could. Even with his denser bones, Shaggy felt his hands creak from the blow. Pain shot up his arms as he reeled back for another blow.

“You took your time,” Vick grumbled as he tried to help Cekrass wrestle the robot’s arms.

“Needed…a... break…” Shaggy huffed as he slammed his hands down on the robot’s head over and over.

Soon the metal creaked and bent, and a large indent was forming on the thing’s face. Shaggy ignored the pain in his hand and slammed downward over and over until he saw sparks. The robot lurched awkwardly and Shaggy jumped back as electricity snapped up at him. Cekrass released the thing’s arms and moved to its head. Gripping the bent pieces of metal that made up the robot’s face-plate, Cekrass gave a roar and ripped the thing’s head off. It took a couple of pulls and Shaggy was sure the giant lizard had hurt himself. But damned if it didn’t look cool.

Cekrass raised the head of the machine up high and roared triumphantly. Shaggy and Vick shared a smile and moved to help the woman in the other room. But Shaggy had to jump back as Vick was kicked down the hallway and Cekrass’ knee was punched. The large lizard went down screaming as a loud pop filled the hall. The robot creakily stood, headless, and attacked again. Shaggy groaned as he dodged a wild swipe from the thing’s massive arm and punched. His fist slammed into its chest and it lurched back slightly. Cekrass rose to a knee and angrily gripped the robot around the waist. The robot started rain blows on the poor lizard-man’s head and Shaggy redoubled his own punches as he tried to break open the things chest-plate.

Metal creaked again as Cekrass squeezed the thing’s torso and Shaggy feared his pack member was going to try to crush the robot. But instead, Cekrass lurched backwards and did a suplex from a kneeling position. The large robot went up and over Cekrass’ shoulder and collided with the front door of the house. Cekrass let go and sent the body of the robot through the door. There was a loud crashing sound as wood broke and metal slammed into the pavement. Shaggy spent a few seconds checking on his lizard friend before he followed the robot outside.

The large robot was just getting to its feet. So Shaggy jumped down the stairs and slammed both of his feet into its chest. Normally, things went flying when Shaggy did this, but he grimaced as his legs recoiled under him and he slammed to the ground. The robot had to take a few steps back from the blow, but he righted itself just fine. Shaggy groaned and stood. He had made a decently sized dent in the thing’s torso. But the metal was still stubbornly whole.

Shaggy ducked another wide swing and came up with a quick jab. He followed it with another before he had to dodge a grab from the robot’s other hand. Shaggy danced around the thing and kept up a constant barrage of punches. As he did, the metal bent and twisted and he kept his eyes out for any breaks in the seams of the robot’s chassis. It was when sirens filled the air and the buzzing of drones rose in the sky that Shaggy finally saw a glimpse of circuitry under the thing’s metal plating. He almost cheered, but before he could dash in and take advantage of the weakness, a purple blade pierced the back of the machine.

Rita growled as she tore her blade from the robot’s back. It fell unceremoniously to the floor and cracked the pavement with its body. Shaggy frowned as he looked at the older woman. Vick, Levy and the others were standing in the doorway looking down at them. Levy’s hands glowed purple as she held them over Cekrass’ leg. Cekrass grimaced in pain as he tenderly stood on his busted leg. Sybil was nowhere to be seen. As the sirens grew louder, Shaggy asked.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Where the hell did they come from?!”

Vick huffed as he answered. “Book...case...in the...living room.”

Shaggy rushed back into the house and saw Sybil appear from the kitchen. Something clutched in her hands. Ignoring her for now, Shaggy rushed toward the living room and took in the devastation. Two humanoid-shaped indents were hidden behind the bookcases. They flanked a third little area that held a book and a hand sized pink crystal. Shaggy examined it before he heard Levy shout.

“Drones are here!”

Shaggy grabbed everything and dashed back to the foyer. His pack stood waiting for order and Shaggy noticed for the first time that Tom was gone again. He practically growled at the discovery, but then the slim man’s voice spoke from the back of the house.

“Boss! There’s a manhole just over the fence.”

Shaggy’s annoyance immediately disappeared, and he started barking orders. “You heard the man, everyone, to the sewers. Grab what you want and let’s get the fuck out of here. Babe, you still want to light it up.”

Levy raised a hand wreathed in purple flame and Shaggy took that as confirmation. Sybil and Rita dashed toward the back as Vick and Shaggy moved to help Cekrass. His knee seemed to be healed, but the big man was still moving slow. Drones buzzed outside the windows, and Vick fired a few pot shots as they clambered to the back of the house. As they passed through the backdoor Shaggy had to blink as the drones overhead were shining bright lights down on them. Shaggy grimaced as he guessed that all of their bio-metrics were being scanned and cataloged.

But suddenly the light disappeared, and darkness encompassed all of them. Shaggy was surprised to find that he could still see, even as the dark fog pulsed around him. Turning, he saw his wife holding a hand out toward the black cloud as her other hand stretched toward Jerruza's house spouting purple flame. Shaggy shook his head at the level of power his wife displayed. But then again, he was no slouch either.

The dark cloud followed them as Rita plowed through the back fence and followed Tom toward a large manhole cover. Cekrass started to walk on his own as Sybil and Tom went down into the sewers. Rita and Vick helped Cekrass down as Shaggy turned back to his wife. Her dark skin was plastered with sweat and she was gasping for breath.

“Hurry. I can’t hold the cloud any longer.” She panted.

Shaggy nodded and helped her along toward the sewer. Shaggy nodded at Rita, letting her go first as he helped his wife. Once they stood over the manhole, Shaggy nodded downward. Levy grimaced as she looked down and then back at him. Shaggy momentarily thought she was annoyed at going into the sewers. But then he realized she wanted him to go first.

“Nope. I’m first one in, last one out, honey.”

“Don’t be a dick about this, dear. I have to hold the spell.”

Shaggy shrugged. “I’m already a wanted man, love. It’s better if they don’t know about you.”

“And they won’t. I can hold the spell long enough. Now go!”

Shaggy grimaced, but he could see that Levy wasn’t budging. He growled softly before he leapt down into the sewers. Ignoring the ladder entirely. He splashed down into the sewer water and glanced around at his pack. They were all resting against the sewer wall. But Shaggy just gave them a brief glance before he looked up. His wife’s legs were slowly climbing downward, and he heard the scratching of the manhole lid as she moved it back into place.

Shaggy worried as he could hear his wife’s breathing growing heavier. She made it to the bottom of the ladder and then collapsed. Shaggy had to catch her as she almost fell into nasty sewer water. Shaggy looked her over and found that she was just knocked out. Apparently, holding multiple spells was a huge drain. Shaggy adjusted her on his shoulder before he choose a direction and started walking.

“Boss. Can’t we take a few…” Tom’s voice was interrupted as the loud sound of manhole cover being moved filled the air.

Shaggy redoubled his efforts to move as a buzzing filled the dark sewer tunnels. Vick and Sybil brought up the rear as Rita charged into the dark of the sewer. Tom helped Shaggy with Levy and they trudged through the sewers with the sound of buzzing drones behind them. Shaggy ignored the sewer water filling his shoes and looked for any sort of culvert or indent they could all hide in. But there was nothing. He could see Rita ahead, also looking for some hideaways.

They moved in silence. Trudging through the disgusting smelling water while trying to stay ahead of the buzzing drones. Their low droning echoed throughout the sewers. The twists and turns of the sewers and the dark tunnels made Shaggy feel claustrophobic. The longer the tunnels went on, the more and more angry he was feeling. He was about to shift into a full wolf and squeeze his way toward the nearest drone. But Rita sent surprise down the pack link.

Shaggy and the others rushed ahead and joined up with the older woman. She was standing at a fork in the sewer. Water flowed down one tunnel while the second had an enormous stone wall as a water break or dam. It shunted all the sewer water down the other tunnel. Rita pointed to a gap between the stone dam and the tunnel wall. With the drone’s buzzing growing closer and little options, Shaggy nodded and waved for Cekrass to go first.

If the big guy could make it through, then the rest of them would be fine. It took precious seconds and Shaggy was momentarily worried. But soon the big alien squeezed his way around the side of the dam. One by one, they all moved around the edge and put their backs to the dam. Shaggy gently set Levy down on the dry floor beyond the dam and waited. They all stood poised and silent as the drone’s buzzing got louder and louder.

Shaggy grew his claws and watched the edge of the dam. Soon the buzzing grew deafening and Shaggy felt his whole pack tense. But the buzzing finally reached a crescendo and then started to rapidly fade as the drone flew past. Shaggy silently blew out a breath he had been holding and turned to the others. His pack grinned at him tiredly and sat down. Shaggy was about to tell them they needed to keep moving. But he figured a quick break wouldn’t hurt.

As he settled in next to Levy, he noticed that Sybil was still protectively holding something in her hand. Noticing his gaze, the blond woman gave a forced smile. She opened her hands and revealed a slim fairy girl resting peacefully in her palm. She still looked emaciated and sickly, but her breathing seemed steady. Shaggy raised an eyebrow, silently asking where the other one was. But Sybil shook her head sadly. Shaggy grimaced and looked at his wife, who was sleeping peacefully. The rest of his pack sorted their collected loot and Shaggy handed over the pink crystal and book.

They settled in and rested for a short time. Listening to the ever present buzzing of the police drones searching for them. Shaggy placed Levy’s head on his shoulder and settled in to wait in the dark. All around him the smell burned his nostrils, and he silently cursed old man Obadiah for sending them in there with so little information. But then, he hadn’t really scouted things out very well. They were going to have to stay underground for a while after this one. Shaggy rested his eyes for a few seconds. Letting his worries drain out of him.