Chapter 3

Takedown

Ever since the little argument they had, Reid wasn’t sure if that lifted their energy to kill. The weather was neither cold nor warm, but it was enough to reflect the mood they were in…or would it be the aftermath of their mission? All the team did for now was follow Chris to the said location of where the monster was spotted.

It was seemingly the best option.

“It’s just for the time being, for the sake of the poor civilian who reported about it and possibly suffered a newfound level of trauma.” Reid tried to keep his mind as busy as he could while they walked without complaint.

“We’re almost there, keep your heads and weapons up on standby. We were only told that there was one, but you never know. But don’t worry, if you don’t wet your pants with pee or blood, this mission will be done in a jiffy as soon as we find that foul being.” Chris tried to talk it out with the team despite Reid knowing…that wasn’t the full truth. On the bright side if they needed one, especially from this man who was made their leader, he did try even though it sounded as if he was mocking.

Aside from that short speech from Christ, the rest of it was an uncomfortable silent journey, aside from the faint sound of their footsteps to the location where the monster was supposed to be at. Reid didn’t feel the need to start a small conversation so as to not accidentally bring about any unnecessary conflicts before the monster. There wasn’t any point in lifting the hopes of the team when he knew…this was going to be a difficult and possibly agonizing mission. Either difficult to take down the monster…or difficult to see through the result…of who would live and who wouldn’t. Although Reid hoped that it wouldn’t end up that way. Too many lives were lost, and their sanity was balancing on a thin line too. He wasn’t sure about Chris’, but he sure can conclude that his own was on the line a few times no matter how fearless he can be. Who knew…maybe this time it might be his turn to touch heaven if anything goes wrong as what Chris words came to be, after all, Reid himself was quite harmless for a hunter? Harmless and hunter didn’t go together nicely but someone had to have more humanity than others to possibly improve the world they were in. Of course, Reid didn’t believe that he could do it on his own but, he could contribute to a part of it.

Nonetheless, he was thankful that it was quite the silent journey. Somewhat since Melissa and Lloyd were mumbling to one another. At least they weren’t whistling or whatever of too loudly just in case of attracting unexpected monsters, even though his heart, that didn’t stop beating loudly, was still recovering from the sudden shock of nearly getting shot by his own leader that he didn’t know if being murdered by his leader was better than the monster smashing him. Either or, none of it was desirable. Working with Chris was the least deadly for now and he figured the smarter way of dealing with this awkward period, was to listen as he was told, and he can figure out how he can push his point later on. Reid wished that it was one sunny day that wasn’t too warm or too bright. Even the presence of an animal or two would be delightful. That would sort of lift the gloomy yet aggressive mood that surrounded them although those two emotions were needed if they were to kill a monster. Well, was there anyone who survived and killed a monster by being happy go lucky?

“I’d be amazed if they survived with full sanity.” Reid thought.

He’d probably lost count of the amount of silos they passed by till they made it to what seemed like another abandoned outbuilding towards an open area which…again was surrounded by those massive silos on each of their sides. Reid doubts he could ever forget about those things after this. But with that around, it was a good and bad thing to Reid as he analyzed the area. It was a good thing since there was a chance of using it as a shield or to lure and confuse the monster, which ultimately depends on its size as well. However, it could also lead to their downfall, where if the size of the monster was humongous then…it means there was a good percentage of it being able to pull out those silos and smashing their little bodies into a bloody paste if it was far bigger than those silos and if it lost it patience as usual.

Reid shivered at the thought of turning into fresh squish minced meat with a side of bones, shaking his head to regain his focus as they continued walking past the memorable silos. After about a whole 15 minutes or so, at long last they finally reached an end, or so it seemed like it. There was a waterway in front of them.

“In case anyone or anything, needs a drink I guess, or the monsters might need it.”

For the whole period, Chris was glad his message went through Reid’s smart-Alec brain. If he had brought up that topic once again during this mission, Chris would gladly barge towards the monster with one less man in his team.

“Yeah, yeah I wouldn’t hesitate to end this man right here and right now if he dares mutter anything heroic.”

Unlike the others, instead of the feeling of anxiety piling up and pulling him down, he had a…different energy rushing in his veins. The sweat that accumulated in his palms caused him to have a firmer grip on the handle of the gun adding on to the thrill of being able to take down another monster, it was way more worth than those rage rooms. With the splatter of the enemy’s blood and the defeated wails and roars, is he wrong to say that it was such an adrenaline pill?

It was a good thing, wasn’t it?

Someone had to feel this way to keep those creatures at bay.

“This isn’t a dead end. So don’t keep your hopes too high up because if someone said a monster was here…that means there is another way.” Chris spoke before anyone could sigh a relief or disappointment since he noticed how their eyes were about to light up.

Reid rolled his eyes when Chris said that, even though for once he was right about it, it wasn’t a complete dead end. There was something more to it…or more like something under it. The surface was a bit to clean aside the wrecked ground here and there but that can always be seen as constructions gone wrong or just time flew by.

“If its…if it’s not above or around here then should it be inside? That building?” Reid pointed and finally spoke, causing Chris to glare at him. But that didn’t back Reid down since he knew this time, what he spoke was factual to find the monster and kill it as Chris pleased. “Couldn’t there be…I don’t know something inside like, another passage or something? Doesn’t hurt to check it out if we must demolish those beings. Might want to search at every corner rather than risk someone turning into minced meat.”

Chris didn’t want to have to believe or follow Reid’s suggestion based on their banter earlier but, he couldn’t deny that this time, he was right about it. If they were going to kill the monster, they had to search for it high and low, literally, before it starts another massacre, and they lose their chance and ability to be able to bring the worst demise to these foul beings. So unfortunately, he had to agree with Reid.

“Well for once, I guess you’re right about it. Our witness mentioned that the monster disappeared into a building, I’m assuming it’s this building and there’s a possibility it went down into the tunnels from the old schools. A perfect spot to snack and smash huh?” Chris grimaced as he looked at the outbuilding before turning to Eric, eyeing a signal for him to create an opening.

Or in a more direct way, open the door for them.

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Being the newbie, Eric obediently listened to his leader and went ahead to kick the door, creating an entrance which gave them a glimpse of the state of the place inside. The team entered the building and began the search.

The place was in a mess. There wasn’t a single breathing soul inside or a sign of life, but it was enough to tell them there was once before. The walls had deep scratches and holes, items all over and pipes loosened as if someone tried to grab it. Reid could say that he was amazed at how the building was still intact. The most memorable was the blood splatters on the floor…indicating that it attacked someone. Reid looked around for any more clues till he noticed what should have been an obvious sight. The passage that leads them underground. He figured it would have been a decent passage door before this…wrecked one. Which also indicated the size of the monster that they were about to face. Not only that but there were also human scratches on the floor…someone was here.

And that someone was trying to escape from the monster.

Based on the size of the building and how wrecked that underground doorway was, the monster that they would be dealing with is none from those smaller ones. Reid could feel that they were trying to hope that it was, and the monster was merely throwing a tantrum. But from the lie he felt in the message earlier on…he was most definitely trusting his own guts and heart and brain.

“Well, underground it is. Brace yourselves and your flashlights fellas. We might be having a one-handed massacre down there.” Chris loaded his gun and encouraged each of them to double check their weapons before descending the passageway and into the tunnel.

“Great…goodbye to the last fresh air for now…at least there’s stairs.” Lloyd mumbled before following behind.

Once again it was a pin drop silence down the tunnel aside the drops of water and stream. Dirty stream. During this kind of situation, Reid was more than enlightened that he was wearing a mask that blocked the smell and probably some bacteria that was coming by and sticking onto their clothes. He wasn’t a clean freak but, who would enjoy a sight in this sort of tunnel?

Chris halted their movement once everyone was down the stairs. He was speculating the tunnel for any brief signs of the monster or survivors…or even a dead body. So far, its emptiness complemented the pin drop silence. He gestured to them to move forward and always keep their weapons ready.

Reid took his claymore out and gripped it as tightly as he could before walking along his team. They went in their position as discussed earlier, better stay prepared than not. The tunnel wasn’t that all bad, but that didn’t mean it was decent. There were faint lights all over, so they didn’t need to rely on their flashlights till the end. The constrained space now would be slightly harder for them to overpower the monster, so Reid had to find ways around this tunnel to possibly outsmart the monster. He wasn’t sure if the electricity would affect it, but he supposes it could use for a quick distraction like a smoke bomb. In the event where they happened to be too overwhelmed by the monster.

“Hey Reid. I know that look. Whatever you’re thinking about, it better help us kill that monster. If it’s not dead and it escapes, then I guess your body will suffice.” Chris threatened which earned another eye roll from Reid.

“My body isn’t big enough compared to the monster we’ll be going against. Speaking of it, did they inform you of its size?” Reid decided to ask in a whisper.

“Size? Why do you care?”

“If it’s a bigger size then we might be at a disadvantage with lesser people…but then again, you’re here and I’m sure you’ll be able to kill them in a second since you told us it was going to be an easy one.”

“If you plan on doing anything Larkin-,” Before Chris could continue, Reid interrupted him.

“Relax, I don’t plan on dying, especially not from you.”

“Hnh, wouldn’t it be such a pleasant mission if you were this good all the time?” Mock ran through Chris’ tongue as he sped walked ahead of Reid.

Eric was about to open his mouth to question the monster’s whereabouts since Reid already started asking about its size when he noticed another doorway down the end.

“Hey look!” Eric pointed in a whisper. “Do you think-,”

“Shut it.” Chris snapped, preparing his gun to aim while steadying his pace and posture. Reid and the rest of the team followed along as they moved closer and closer to the suspicious entrance.

There was without a doubt that they were close to their vicious target.

“Perfect, now open it.”

Chris nudged Eric to open the door since he found it. Naturally being the newbie, he was skeptical, and the amount of reluctance filled his bones when he was the one to open it. Reid wanted to interfere, but Chris held him back with his free arm with the eyes that says, let him. It didn’t help any of them when they were able to hear what was possibly behind the door. Reid frowned but he knew he couldn’t do anything against Chris now. He just felt that it wasn’t fair for Eric, who was new, to do such a dangerous…act?

Was it a dangerous act?

“Let him, I’m sure there’s nothing much behind. I don’t hear anything. Plus, this newbie can earn more of my respect and recognition of him this way.”

Reid sighed at Chris’ explanation. He wasn’t that wrong but still, it wasn’t fair. But on the other hand, so far there isn’t any growling or so but…there were sounds of twigs snapping…or it sounded like it. Could there be survivors trying to create a fire or some sort of defense?

“But isn’t that a bit too…loud…and odd for…for a twig? And this place doesn’t seem to have any opening for any smoke to leave unless they planned on smoking themselves to death?” Reid thought as he watched Eric going through a second of existential crisis. He didn’t know if he was anxious for the monster or Eric’s sanity and safety.

Despite Reid’s concern, Eric didn’t to further disappoint his first and new team. He softly gulped a few times, glancing back and forth from the door to Chris, then to his team and finally back to the door of death. Or so it seemed like it. His shaking palms slowly gripped the handle of the door, gently opened it with a small squeak.

Hello and behold on the other side of the place. At this moment, they didn’t know if they wished they didn’t open the door or that they deeply wished the mission ended long before it started since their heart dropped when they saw what was inside…and the size of the thing inside.

It was humongous.

It wasn’t the size of KaVahl, but it was naturally far bigger than most humans. To make the situation worse for them, was that the monster had a dead body in his hands, and they apparently interrupted his little delicious mealtime as he was eating the dead body from its head down. The monster chewed through, the same sound that they heard before they opened the door. The ones where they thought it was twigs…instead it was the sounds of the bones being crushed by the monsters’ hands and razor-sharp teeth. The blood mixed with its drool and even organs were hanging out of the dead human and the monster’s mouth. An unfortunate side, even though fortunately it was one victim. Or so it was in front of them, they have yet to find more possible bodies.

Other than Eric, they shouldn’t be shocked at the sight…they should be used to it. After years and years of defeating monsters, turning them into weapons and losing the people whether it was the civilians or their team members, they should have been used to it, used to the deaths. But no matter how many deaths they have seen, how much it angered or agonized them, the feeling of fear and shock will always welcome them first and foremost.

They, except for Chris, were speechless.

Chris had both a glare that was mixed with a grin and smirk on his face as he aimed his gun towards the monster, but he had yet to pull the trigger.

Especially Reid, his eyes widened the moment the monster noticed their presence and his heart rate raised abruptly that it might as well be the next bullets or explosives to defeat that foul beast. His grip on his claymore became tighter that he could have internally sworn that his palms became pale from the lack of blood flow that ran to his heart.

The monster’s silent growl was loud enough to shake Reid. Its eyes narrowed before in a wince, it shoved the dead body harshly against the wall of the tunnel that the leftover body turned into a pile of mush and resembled human puree. An ugly stain of a splatter left against the wall and all that was left of the human was that unrecognizable minced squishy meat and bones.

Reid noticed how Eric winced hard and was trying his best to not throw up on the spot. Clearly the team were now regretting believing that it was an easy monster.

They knew they had to prepare for the worst.

The monster, after tossing away its disrupted meal, bared its sharp teeth and took a rumbling step towards them.