Vicki’s eyes went crimson as she leapt the counter, smashing the barman into the glassware and spraying blood up the mirrored wall. One of the hunters at the table flipped the chair, rushing her and swinging it down. It shattered over her head and shoulders, barely stunning her as she turned, growling, blood and saliva pouring from her open mouth. She grabbed the incoming knife and twisted, snapping his wrist and shoving it into his own neck, taking a bite into the other side. She yanked her head back, chewing the strip of flesh and letting out a howl. She drained him dry as the last of the pedestrians ran. She locked into the movement and took off running, tackling one of them.

A young woman screamed in terror, watching as Vicki crunched down on the back of the other’s spine, leaving her paralyzed and bleeding out as a shotgun blast rang out near her head. She turned and locked eyes with Nicole, who was shouldering her weapon and shaking nervously.

“Please stop. Vicki don’t make me shoot you, please.” She said aiming at the knee. Vicki slowly stomped forward with death in her eyes as Nicole backed away, unable to pull the trigger or run. “I’m warning you, please stop!” Nicole yelled. She hunkered down to sprint and just as she got forward movement, she was hit by 6 foot of Gizzydozer tackling her out of the way. She grabbed Gizzy and turned, slaming her head off the stone alley wall and dropping her. She grabbed her ankle on the way down and climbed on top of her to keep her there. Vicki stood up, lifting Gizzy and propelling herself backwards, slamming her to the wall.

“JACK! PUT HER DOWN!” Gizzy yelled as he shouldered his rifle. He blocked Nicole for safety and pulled the trigger halfway, freezing up. Gizzy swung her around and put her in the wall, just long enough for her to pull her foot up and shove both of them a good ten feet back. She sunk her fangs into Gizzy’s wrist and like an alligator, death-rolled, snapping her arm in several places and draining her as she tried to break free, finishing with a stomp to the neck, leaving her on the ground.

Vicki rushed towards Jack as he grabbed Dee and shoved her at Vicki, who latched on for a kill and hit the blood pouch, dropping over and staying on her mark.

Dee struggled and kicked as she began to get full and slow down, pulling her closer like a hug, still sunk into her neck.

Gizzy staggered up and switched to her left hand, awkwardly switching to shotgun slugs and one-hand aiming at Vicki’s back.

“SHE’S STOPPED!” Jack, yelled, standing in front of the barrel.

“Jack, Move or I will move you.”

“In your current state I don’t think you can. You wanna shoot me in the head…again?” He asked. She gnashed her teeth and fought back a tear as she lowered the gun. Jack hugged Vicki, who was now holding Dee like a dead victim and crying uncontrollably, screaming in between breaths and squeezing Dee tightly as if she didn’t remember she was a robot.

Nicole ran to Gizzy both to see if she was okay and for protection in case need be.

“Are you okay?”

“NO!” Gizzy barked. “She broke my fucking arm!” She said, more angry than deterred.

“Can we fix it?” Nicole asked.

“No…it’s not dislocated, there’s a bone sticking out of my wrist and I can’t move it. It’s what we call in military terms, lightly fucked.” She said, as Jack picked up Vicki and carried her. Gizzy followed him, dragging the dee-bot by the foot and yanking her up over her shoulder.

“Where the hell is Vinn?” she asked.

“We don’t know. I think the hunters took him.” Nicole sobbed. They reached the shuttle, rain now fading from a sprinkle to a downpour as they piled inside.

“Restrain her.” Gizzy said.

“She’s fine.” Jack insisted.

“Bull fucking shit she’s fine. There’s 2 dead people in the alley and my right arm is trashed. You restrain her, that is an order.” She said pausing and noticing the side door was open. She pulled it shut and noticed it was bent outward in a way that prevented it from closing. She noticed something on the ground, and lifted one of the strange shards up. They were egg fragments.

“Jack, the egg hatched.” Gizzy said looking worried.

“We had it in the locking safe.” He said noticing the door missing and hinges broken off. A sudden barrage of flashing lights behind the shuttle got her attention as footsteps and guns cocking echoed over the rain.

“Hands up!” Hollered the policeman in riot gear and wielding some alien rifle. “What happened here!?” He asked.

She stepped out of the shuttle. “We got 3 wounded being tended to.” She said like a paramedic.

“Hands up, we got a lot of dead bodies here and no explanation.”

“We got attacked by something. It’s gone. My crew knows our biology well, we don’t need medical assistance from some alien intern giving unknown drugs.”

“What attacked these people.” He said looking skeptical. She held up an egg fragment.

“Whatever came out of this shell.”

“Witnesses said it looked primate.”

“Tell you what, take a look in the shuttle. That safe door was ripped off from the inside, and our armored side door is bent to shit. You see the two girls covered in blood? They need medical care we have on our ship, and we have a crewman missing. You take us in, they die. Nicole. Take Dee and Vicki back to the ship. Me and Jack will stay here with the police and answer questions. Otherwise I lose 2 my crew and I can’t let you do that. So do you wanna start a fight and get more people killed while something is out there that can rip a steel door off, or do you wanna take me and Jack into custody and let them go?”

“Goddamnit, let them go. Cuff these two.”

“Just cuff the one arm, the other isn’t going anywhere.” Gizzy said holding up her broken one as the cop gagged in disgust.

…

Jack sat silently, refusing to speak or answer anything as Gizzy refused to shut up.

“So you’re saying you got an egg from the planet down there, brought that thing to our moon in a safe, and it broke out?”

“Yep. Broke the safe, broke the door, broke my right arm.” She said placing it on the table wrapped in gauze and a splint.

“How are you not passing out from pain right now?”

“Because my species evolved out of the pussy-ass bitch stage thousands of generations ago. I’ll be fine. I’d like a water of you don’t mind, I’ve lost a lot of blood.” She huffed. The door opened and a man in a uniform whispered something that turned the cop pale and sent him walking away in silence.

“Arch Delve Gystoria, head of the Lunar Planetary security division. Let’s hear about this egg. How did you get it?”

“I made a sacrifice, and left a man behind.” She said darkly.

“Nobody gets those eggs. Nobody is supposed to know about those eggs. We read a large scale detonation on that planet the other night, and then you show up with an Egg.”

“Well it sounds like you figured it out there Carmen Sandiego. Long story short, we landed for exploration, That Forest dickhead took one of my girls hostage, I got her back, got an egg, and leveled the structure. Never leave an enemy stronghold intact.”

“How? Nobody’s been able to put a dent in that structure in 1700 years. It’s illegal to even go down there but hunters keep getting killed for it. How did you manage to get an egg and get through that shielding?”

“I told you, I made a sacrifice for the egg, then I traded for my crewman back and what I gave him was a robot loaded with explosives. He fucked with my family, I ended his life. We call that getting even, and he started it.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Part of me wants to thank you for taking him down, but you just let out one of the eggs in a populated city so I’m torn on whether to arrest you or give you a hug. You didn’t answer how you got through that shielding.”

“Our ship has really good weapons, that’s above your paygrade. And they are pointed down here in case you decide to keep us locked up long term. You wanna play this game, or do you wanna tell me what the hell was in that egg?”

“You don’t even know?” he asked.

“The mission was get an egg, nobody told us what was in it. Classified shit, we don’t get told everything.”

“That was a raven egg. The last of an ancient species that ruled this moon long before we got here. That thing needs to be killed before it can’t be. Right now it’s just a baby, but it’s growing in strength.”

“What about our friend Vinn?”

“People get abducted by hunters all the time. Consider him a casualty and focus on the bigger issue.

...

Vicki sat shackled in the mess hall as Nicole fitted her with a collar. Her hair was cut short and covered in blue dye.

“I’m sorry I have to do this, but it’s the only way. Vinn is missing and we have to get him back. Without him, you can’t feed, and I refuse to lose my husband waiting on red tape and paperwork. We’re going back down there and getting Vinn, and I can’t have you going nuts like that again.” She said hugging her as she silently stared with tears in her eyes.

“I killed people. People who didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Vicki, you’re sick, not evil. But you are dangerous. Unfortunately I need you with me, so…I’ve fitted you with a 300 volt Delmarian prison shock collar. If you go feral, I have to put you down somehow and I don’t want to do it with a gun. So…here’s a gun, let's go get Vinn back.”

“How?” She asked.

“They took the snail extract, those vials have tracers in them. They may have disabled Vinn’s com tracker but they didn’t know about the vials.

“I’m going too.” Said Deebot, grabbing a gun and giving Vicki a glare.

“No offense but…” Nicole said.

“I’m not part of the team? I’m part of this crew too. I’m your virtual girlfriend and I’m programmed with all of Dee’s loyalty to Vinn. Unless you give me a direct order to stay behind, I’m inclined to go.”

“What happened to your programming?” Nicole squinted.

“You know, I’m not totally sure. It’s possible my programming was loaded overtop of an incomplete deletion of an existing subprogram."

“I don’t suppose that body was like a tactical combat drone or something?”

“Bartender and personal chef.” She said.

“So how do you know how to use a gun?”

“I don’t. I have no idea how to use this thing, but It looks sexy holding it, and I know not to pull the trigger when it's pointed at anyone on my side. So if anything, it’s just an extra gun and ammo you don’t have to carry.”

“Screw it, good enough. Was there any Vinn blood to refill you with in case…you know?”

“Half a bag. Better than nothing. Come on bitches, let's go save our favorite furry boi.”

...

Jack and Gizzy landed in the shuttle bay, noticing the other was missing.

“Damnit, She went after Vinn.” Gizzy sighed. “Vicki’s not showing up on the ship scanners either.”

“Jack, keep your head in the game. I told you earlier to put her down and you hesitated. You should have put one in her knee the second I ordered it. Vicki is not herself when she’s in feeding mode. She heals, she kills, don’t you ever refuse an order like that again, or I will put her down myself, and if I can’t get a clean shot, I’ll take a less clean one. Priority one is the raven. We can’t fight two fronts, we have to maintain that halfasses story and take this thing down or people die. Vinn can take care of himself, Nicole is tougher than you think, and Vicki is a wild card. Focus, Damnit."

...

They sat in the lab, staring at a row of bullets.

“We have no idea what we’re, doing do we?”

“Nope. Winging it. So we gotta kill a cosmic entity, we have some cosmic shit. Living Tar in a copper jacket, Imposter blood round, ground up egg shell, and thermite round.”

“What about the power gem thing?”

"Nicole hid that, I have no idea where. No time to search the ship. Silver bullet made from the mask fragment…don’t think that’s gonna do much, and this little fucker here. Hot nasty badass technology, no magic just Osirian tech. It’s an antimatter power cell core bead. That’s a last resort. That will level a city block. I printed a heavier barrel, longer range for the 7mm rifle.”

“So the plan is to just shoot it with random magic shit imbedded into bullets in no particular order hoping it works.”

“…yeap. You got a better plan? Because I don’t. I have glasses that see mystical shit ,and these.” She said holding up a grenade round. “That is hyper concentrated snail gel, Havocian tranquilizer, and tungsten barbs. It’s coated in the blood of the other vampire we encountered. That cross venom contamination alone should shock her system. That is an anti-Vicki round. It shouldn’t kill her, but it will…probably fucker up and render her sedated. If she goes on a rampage, Jack, I’m not going to fight her, I’m going to drop her. Those are your orders as well. Aim for the thigh, and pull the damn trigger, soldier. I don’t have to tell you how sometimes you have to pull the trigger on someone you love to save everyone. Follow orders, soldier.”

“Understood.”

...

News hovercopters flew wide paths around a dot in the sky, near the edge of town, the construction zone. Several large robotic insects froze in their places as workers inside buildings bunkered for cover. A white streak of light shone over different places, searching for living things. Jack and Gizzy strolled out into the rooftop of a building with a good vantage point. Too far to spot, close enough to hit with ranged weapons. Gizzy adjusted her binoculars as Jack used the range scope.

“What in the unholy hell did we let out?” He asked as the white gleaming figure turned towards them. A pair of white angel wings flapped in slow motion, suspending a tall, lanky humanoid figure, the sheen of fresh white paint. Head to toe, the figure ran with moving patterns, like ornately carved wood fit for a medieval king’s bedpost, but flowing and changing like a Rorschach test in the purest of liquid primer white. It had a vaguely feminine figure, but wore no clothing or tell-tale markers aside from a slim hourglass figure and an almost feminine pose. Its motions looked like swimming, except through air rather than water. Its head had no face, ears, eyes, or hair. It was just a shiny head sized almond drop. It was almost hauntingly beautiful, yet terrifyingly at the same time.

It hovered in intrigue as a military vehicle approached it, orders of surrender shouting from a megaphone being met with no response. Then the sound of gunfire. The rounds sparked off the surface of i’s skin like they were hitting polished steel. Its right arm extended like a blade and with an elegant turn, it severed the vehicle in half. The two larger pieces burst into flames and crashed to the ground. It thrust the blade outward, lightning striking it and flowing through the creature and into the ground. The rain turned to snow and the creature hovered silently, ice sickles now forming on its body. Gizzy applied her mask and turned to Jack.

“Well, great time to try out the new prototype armor.” She said, running and leaping to the next rooftop. Jack unlocked his bipod, checking his notebook again and the magazine next to him. The order of rounds was ready.

...

Nicole slid to a stop as she noticed Vicki was missing.

“Are you serious?” She asked Dee, who looked just as baffled.

“She just took off when that explosion happened.”

“Fine, fuck her, I’ll get Vinn myself.” Nicole said lowering her helmet and following the tracker to one of the abandoned buildings. She spotted hunters, most of them ignoring her location and loading up everything they had for the new target hovering above the city. Gizzy hit the flight controls and her jetpack lit up, sending her towards her target. She went full auto with grenades, peppering it like a pesky fly and narrowly missing a white gleaming blade to the head. She looked for weak points and damage, seeing none.

“Jack, grenades are no good. Go big or go home.” She informed. He switched to thermite rounds and racked in a fresh one. Gizzy distracted it with another pelting as Jack landed a center mass hit and took off fragments, but only surface chips.

“It’s like hunting marble.” He muttered, hitting the neck and marveling as it barely noticed, still swiping at Gizzy.

...

Nicole turned a corner, firing 5 shots above the heads of the hunters and then pointing at the center one as the grenade smoke cleared.

“Move or die.” She said as Dee stumbled in behind her, shouldering her weapon as well.

“Unimportant.” Said one of the hunters. “Small prize, better glory.” It smirked, holding hands up and walking to the stairwell to join the fight outside. It seemed like every other one was in a hurry to either run like hell or run into the bigger fight, leaving Nicole ignored and able to progress. She turned the next room and there stood Mister Tophat.

“Let him go.” She barked as Vinn sat tied to a chair, beaten lightly and heavily chained.

“Young lady, you are not a killer.” He said.

“Fine, I’ll shoot you in the dick, you’ll probably survive.” She said switching to carbine rounds. “Unlock him, run like hell.” She demanded. He smiled slightly, testing her resolve and getting struck in the shoulder by her trigger pull. “I’m not fucking around, that’s my Vinn. Keys or nuts.” she said stepping closer and pointing at his groin.

“Alright, I was mistaken. He’s a prized animal but not worth dying for.”

“To me he is. Dying for, killing for, castrating for.” She reminded as he unlocked the shackled and just as he finished, Vinn’s hand grabbed his throat and lifted him up to eye level.

“Vinn, he’s not worth it. We’re not killers.” She said he dropped him and grabbed the gun Dee tossed.

“She told you to run.” Vinn growled. The man sprinted to the stairs and headed down.

“Let’s get to the shuttle, Vinn. We have med kits there.”

“What is everyone fighting?” He asked.

“Something above our paygrade. Let the killers go near that thing.”