They had wholly entered the forest, and the trees crowded together to form a dense enclosure. Slacks, who was behind the wheel, was clearly worried as he slowed to almost a crawl while they wove through wherever the foliage was most open. Up high, Angela and Helmet were at eye level with the tips of the trees. The older man calmly watched as she used the machine to push the obstacles over and out of the way.
“You could probably level the entire forest like this, huh?” he asked while turning to the girl, but Angela didn’t respond. Seeing her red eyes locked in intense focus, Helmet turned back to the forest scene. As he gazed down, he saw what he figured was the issue; despite the trunks snapping like twigs, the stump still presented a tripping hazard. The older man nodded to himself and figured he’d let the girl be awhile.
The falling trees and clanging metal feet drowned out the other noises, and animals fled from the shaking long before the group got close. They clattered through for a while until something like a giant shadow looked like it moved in the foliage below. The older man squinted as the form briefly came into view again; the movement resembled a hunter following its prey. Helmet suddenly shouted: “Stop!”
The jeep came to a halt first and the Reaper second. Pulling his gun close, Helmet stood up and leaned outside the machine. The rope kept him from plummeting to the ground as he looked around the branches in front of him.
“What’s the big idea?” Angela hissed softly. Even though her voice gave off clear confusion, she kept it low, which Helmet appreciated.
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The others pulled their weapons out and hopped out of the vehicle.
They fanned out from the spot, forming a small square with their backs all facing each other.
“What is it?” Slacks shouted up to Helmet.
“Something big is following you. Be careful as you flush it out!”
“Don’t you think it’s just some animal? Just stay inside the jeep.” Angela asked without interest.
“’Just some animal’ may be technically correct, but I’m worried about which one,” Helmet answered sternly. His aged eyes scanned the area again for any sign of the creature. He refrained from describing what happened to their last vehicle when they had her mindset; there was little time to do so.
The woods were quiet as all eyes slowly checked every spot. Bandana signaled with his hand and took a small step forward. Then it lunged out.
A beast like a mutated wolf—matching the form of a canine with metal plates welded to its body and a jaw that split open into four parts—had Bandana’s back to the ground instantly. It snapped at his head, but fangs chomped down on the man’s gun as he used it to block the strike.
Before the creature could pull back and bit again, Coat tackled it from the side. It roared and spat as he tried to lock the legs down. The beast twisted its hind legs and pushed the man off—tearing bloody gashes through the front of his coat.
As it tried to stand up, a bullet from Slacks’ rifle pierced its front shoulder. The beast fell down on that side and growled. Another shot from the sniper hit the stomach.
The creature dropped low but quickly jumped at Glasses next with its mouth ready to bite his head. He tensed up, held the rifle ready, and fired three shots at the skull. Two missed—Helmet heard them ricochet off the metal plates—but the last was true, and the dead attacked plowed him to the ground at his side.
Helmet hooked a longer rope to the machine’s side and slid to the ground without a word.