Dragonshift

by Linton Bowers

  “That’s unfortunate,” Andrea said. “Hopefully, the rest goes smoother.”

  “No plan survives contact with the enemy,” Dris said. “We’re lucky things are going as smooth as they have. Phase three is starting in a minute.”

  I started to rise, ready to run down the hill and assault the base. A large hand grabbed my arm, and I stopped. Dris met my gaze and grinned.

  “I added a fourth phase and slipped it in between two and three. One mo gain, then we go.”

  My enhanced hearing picked up a steady thumping that sounded far to our rear. I tilted my head back but didn’t see anything. The sound grew at a steady rate and I recognized it.

  “Dris,” I said.

  “Yeah, boss?” He asked while still wearing the grin.

  “Did you get a helicopter?”

  “I sure as shit did, or, I should say Berni and Mac did.”

  The helicopter flew by at amazing speeds. Where I expected the bloated and rounded shape, I saw a thin rectangular shape. The bird moved with a grace and speed beyond what I was expecting.

  I looked at Dris once more. “Did you get a military attack helicopter?”

  “Yup.”

  “Dris,” Andrea said with as much awe in her voice ad I felt. “Where the hell did you get an attack helicopter?”

  “Had a general that owed me a favor. I called it for this little OP. You like?”

  “I could cut glass right now I’m so excited,” Andrea said.

  “Same here,” I replied. “And probably pound nails into boards.”

  Dris laughed hard. With the noise from the truck engines and the helicopter, there was little to no danger of being heard.

  “Oh!” Dris said. “It’s happening. Pay attention.”

  My head turned in time for me to see the helicopter launch a series of eight projectiles from under its nose. They looked like grenades from a grenade launcher, as I know them to look from movies. The eight projectiles hit the dirt and bounced. They spewed gas into the air.

  “Were those grenades?” I asked

  “Yup.”

  “Ha! I fucking knew it. This is so awesome! What is that gas?”

  “Knockout Gas. Each canister contains enough to knock out a herd of elephants. It's new stuff.”

  “Well fuck me running,” Andrea said. “If that shit works, our job just became easier.”

  Dris’ smile dropped his head slowly turned until he was looking at Andrea. “What the hell is wrong with you, woman? You jinxed us all.” His eyes shifted to look at me. “We should call it now, boss. Come back after the jinx wears off with a new plan.”

  “Can’t. Dragon is here now. We leave then they will move her. We go now. We leave when this place is a ruin and we get Dragon out. If we can, we get these Lycans shifted to human and get them safe. Phase four time?”

  “I guess it is,” Dris said.

  I rose to my feet and helped Andrea up. Dris stood as well and we faced the compound.

  “Is there a signal?” I asked.

  “Can you roar?” Dris asked.

  “Not really.”

  “Allow me,” Andrea said while she kicked off her shoes and shifted. “Ready?”

  “Go for it,” I said.

  My wolf threw her arms wide and sent a roar to rival anything Simba could muster. I heard roars answer the call all around the compound. Movement too far away to make out soon followed them.

  “Shall we?” Dris asked.

  The three of us took off down the hill. While we ran Dris shifted. Dris was taller than he had been but not by much. His muscles had grown but once again not as much as expected. He didn’t even tear out of his clothes. I suspected it resulted from his connection to Andrea, and her connection to me. Something for another time.

  A few short seconds after we ran we parkored our way around the semi half sticking out of the wall and joined the battle.

  Or so we thought.

  The Lycans in the courtyard were out cold. One handler was still up while his patrol snoozed around him. A member of my wolf pack attacked and knocked him out. Then there was just us and a bunch of unconscious Lycans.

  “Well, that was easy,” Andrea said.

  “You must really want a giant sandworm to tear through the ground and swallow us whole,” Dris said. He turned to face Andrea while he shifted back to human. “What is wrong with you, woman? Do you want us to fail?”

  “What?” She shrugged.

  “You’re impossible.” Dris threw up his arms and walked away.

  “I do so love fucking with that man,” Andrea said. “It’s the little things that get him, and he never sees it. It’s almost too easy.”

  “A lot like this assault was,” I said.

  “Not you too,” Andrea snapped. “I didn’t jinx us. I swear.”

  As if Dris was not only a tactical genius, badass werewolf, and badass human, his prophetic words took shape. The ground shook hard enough to throw everyone in my line of site to the ground; me included.

  “What’s happening?” Andrea shouted to be heard over the rumble accompanying the shake.

  “I don’t know!” I shouted back. “I think someone jinxed us!”

  Andrea’s face fell and her eyes narrowed. “Really?” Her voice was full of venom.

  Next came a loud series of clicks then the floor dropped along with all of us. It fell a few feet falling out from under us then slowed. I could hear meaty thuds as the surrounding bodies slammed into the ground. It was a painful experience. Then the floor descended at a much more subdued pace. I sat up, but stopped at the sight before me. The ground gave way to steel. After several feet of steel, there were steel girders and lighting. Then the space in front of us, and all around, opened to a large man made cavern.

  “What the shit is this?” Andrea asked.

  “This is your jinx,” Dris said.

  “It's an underground lab, but way bigger than the other one. How the hell do they afford to build a place like this?” I asked. “The upkeep alone has to cost a fortune.”

  “Really?” Dris said. I looked over at him to see a look of incredulity. “We find a giant underground lab big enough to be a Bond villain lair, and all you can worry about is the dam light bill?”

  “Oh no, trust me, I’m worried about a lot more than that. Like, what happens when this thing stops moving.”

  Dris raised his hand index finger up and opened his mouth. Nothing came out. After a second his eyebrows lowered, and he took on a serious look. “Ah shit, I have nothing.”

  “Whatever is about to happen, we will handle it together,” Andrea said. “Wolf pack!” She shouted.

  All the pack stood and ran over gathering around us. I stood and helped Andrea to her feet.

  “We don’t know what’s coming next, but we can guess. These guys like to kidnap kids and turn them into Lycan freaks. So if that is what we’re fighting, then we knock them out. No killing, unless you have too. Copy?”

  The pack nodded their agreement.

  “Good,” Andrea said. “When I give the word, unleash hell!”

  Chapter 25

  The elevator platform came to a stop. With the machinery no longer operating silence filled the cavern. Andrea, Dris, and I stood still looking at each other as if expecting one of us to have an idea. Since I was Tuatha, I did my job and took charge.

  “We should get everyone together in a defensible position and plan our next move, before we have the choice taken from us,” I said.

  “Right,” Andrea replied.

  “Where?” Dris asked.

  “Let’s try the closest building. It sucks that we haven’t cleared them yet, but maybe we’ll get lucky and the gas took down anyone inside.”

  “I’m on it,” Dris said. He pointed to two other large males and waved them on. They followed him to the door of the building. After a three count with his fingers he kicked in the door. Dris went in with the two men hot on his heels.

  Andrea placed her hand on my arm and whispered, “T
his is Arnold’s doing?”

  “As far as I know it is. I’m willing to bet he isn’t alone though. This seems like a big undertaking for one man, or even one pack.”

  “I agree. My pack is well off, not rich, but we do all right. Some packs are rich, but could never afford this.”

  Dris popped his head back out of the doorway and looked left then right. He waved us over and gave a thumbs up. Andrea held my arm keeping me from moving and did and exaggerated overhead point. The remaining members of the pack rushed the building and filed in quickly. Andrea moved, pulling me along, when most had gone in.

  The inside of the building was the definition of Spartan. There were no walls or rooms, The four walls that comprised the structure had no drywall attached allowing us a good view of the support structure.

  “What the hell is this?” I asked no one in particular.

  “It’s a front,” Dris replied. “There is a hatch in the center of the floor I assume leads down here. It won’t open now and has a red light.”

  “I guess that makes sense since we are already here,” I said.

  A loud horn sounded and echoed through the cavern. With my senses dialed up the sound was painful. I stopped the ability allowing me to have wolf like senses. The world became quieter and darker.

  “What the hell is going on now?” Andrea asked.

  A loud grating noise took over the alarm klaxons. It was like having a giant scratch a giant-sized chalk board. The surrounding wolves grabbed at their ears and fell to the ground. Andrea fell forward, and I caught her. With my senses back to normal I was immune to the crippling pain they felt. I gently lowered Andrea to the ground. Once she was settled and as comfortable as she could be on a concrete floor with a brain splitting sound tearing at her ears, I ran to the door. The noise came from above and after looking up I saw the cause. Giant doors were sliding into place overhead sealing us off from the rest of the world. Since there was nothing I could do about it, I ran back to Andrea.

  I dropped to my ass next to her and pulled her close to my chest. Placing my hands over her ears, I hoped to help reduce the noise getting to her ears. The overhead doors took an excruciating long time to close and stop. By the time it was over I had a headache and most of the wolves had passed out.

  I need to think of them as my wolves.

  I’m not sure where the thought came from, but it was right. The wolves belonged to Andrea and Andrea belonged to me. Therefore, my wolves.

  Andreas stirred. She wept, and I held her tight. While holding my Wolf the sounds of other Lycans reached my ears. Time was up, but I was the only one capable of fighting. It was time to see what I could do with my new power.

  “Andrea, I have to go but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  My wolf clutched my arm tight then let go. Once outside I realized the sounds of the Lycans were coming from every direction. The ideal situation would have been if they all came from one direction. so instead of waiting for them to come to me I had to take the fight to them.

  I ran screaming for them to come and get me. just as I passed over the edge of the elevator my foot caught on something and I fell. Rolling for several feet I came to a stop and quickly jump back up. A quick glance back allowed me to see that the elevator was a few inches lower than the cavern floor.

  The trip gave the first creature time to reach me. A beast that looked part wolf and part cat roared as a charged at me. I jump to the side letting it pass and kicked it in the back of its legs knocking it down. More creatures came so instead of fighting I took off.

  The distance from the elevator to the closest building was a quarter of a mile, give or take a few feet. With my extra bit of juice I quickly reached the building only to find the door locked. I punched it with all I had but only made a dent.

  “Shit!” I shouted my frustration out.

  The situation was fucked, but crying about it would not get me anywhere. I needed action and a way to work off stress.

  “All right, bitches,” I said while I spun around. “Lets fucking dance!”

  The first contestant was one of the fast Lycans. Being certain was difficult because of the fur and misshapen head, but it looked like a cross between a coyote and a big cat. It jumped and so did I. We met in the air with its claw extended. My torso turned, and I slipped between its arms landing a devastating punch. My feet touched down, and it hit face first. The next one I swept its feet out from under it and bounced its head off the ground.

  Then there were four. One fell quick while two of them raked long claws along my sides. Spinning with my fists out accomplished nothing. Another set of scratched slashed across my back. I stumbled forward reaching back trying to get to the pain. Another one kicked me in the chest knocking me flat on my back.

  Performing a flawless kickflip, I turned and did a roundhouse sending one of the Lycans spinning to the ground. A turn to the right, drop to the knee, and a punch landing square in the gut of another Lycan. It stumbled back wheezing.

  A burst of pain hit my entire left side, and I became airborne. The blow hurt so much I barely registered hitting the ground, bouncing, and rolling several feet. While tumbling It looked like there was something huge sporting a rhino horn. Hard to be sure through the haze of agony and the rolling.

  When I stopped, I prayed for a moment it was all over and I could rest. The clawed hand that grabbed my shoulder and tore into the meat of my arm was a good sign that my prayer went unanswered. It threw me to land and roll once more. The pain that resulted from the landing sent me close to the precipice of unconsciousness.

  Several creatures hit me so I curled up to guard myself. Each blow sent a shock of pain through me. Pain became everything, the sun and moon, air and water. It was god and devil rolled up into one messy package. All I wanted was for it to stop.

  I reached out with my will gripping the thread connecting me and the wolves. I felt the individual tethers feeding into Andrea. Just as I was about to pull I remembered my Tua. Their motionless forms looking broken and empty because I pulled too much. Just as I was about to do once more.

  It hurt too much and if it continued, I might not be strong enough to hold out. Darkness surrounded me. I retreated to a place I may be safe. Or at least pain free. I was wrong. The darkness rippled with each hit and pain echoed like a sound, only very unpleasant. My mental haven turned out to not be a haven. Each ripple of pain was like a spike in my brain.

  I left the darkness just in time to see a foot hit my face. My head snapped back and the shock of the attack delayed my cry of pain. Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision. What I could see was blurry and made no sense.

  Something large flew by me. I rolled to my back with my arms splaid. The motion caused pain to vibrate through my head. Another shape whizzed by. Someone crouched over me. She looked almost human, then she was gone. A large dark shape grabbed me, threw me over its shoulder. We bounced for a long time, each one hurt.

  An eternity of up and down and ouch made it seem like time moved at less than half speed. Eventually, unconsciousness wrapped me in her sweet embrace.

  “...me? Hello?” A familiar voice slipped into the darkness.

  Cracking open an eye didn’t bring the harsh bright light I expected. Instead, there was more darkness with even darker shapes moving around.

  “His eye is open,” an unfamiliar masculine voice said.

  “What?” The shape over me said as she moved closer. “Terry? Are you okay?”

  “Andrea?”

  “Yeah, baby, it’s me. You all right?”

  “Nah, not really. But I think I will be. That’s what this whole Lycan thing is right? Takes a ticking and keeps on licking?”

  Several people laughed. “Something like that,” Andrea said, but she didn’t sound amused.

  “What’s the situation?” My eye closed so I could rest it while she responded.

  “We’re holed up in a storage building. A loud horn called away the other Lycans. After, we found this place. Not sur
e if them leaving is good or not.”

  “Probably not,” I replied. “We should move. Dragon is close.” I pushed up to my elbows and stopped. My head felt like it was bobbing in every direction without me giving it the command to do so.

  “We will, but you need rest. Your Lycan healing is fixing you up quick, but not quick enough. I’ve got scouts out looking for our next hold out. We are moving every hour to keep from being easily caught. It’ll take them a while to sniff us out this way.”

  “How long have I been out?”

  “About four hours.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yeah.”

  “When do we move next?” I asked.

  “Any minute now.”

  “Andrea.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m sorry I got you into this mess.”

  “If you will take a second to think back, you’ll remember that I asked to be here. Remember my wanting the power of the Tuatha so I could beat Arnold? That hasn’t changed. Don’t apologize for shit that wasn’t your fault.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Scout coming,” the masculine voice from before said.

  “Okay, Terry. We’re going to move again. Are you up for it?”

  “We’re about to find out,” I replied.

  Chapter 26

  Andrea had my arm draped around her shoulder as we walked to the next resting place. Dris walked ahead of us as he had been the scout. The rest of the pack followed.

  “We should carry him, Senora,” Juan Carlos, one of the pack members, said. “We would be there by now.”

  “He has a point,” I thought to Andrea.

  “We would move faster, but these are wolves were talking about. You show unnecessary weakness and one of them will get it in their head to challenge you.”

  “Will that even work with the whole Tuatha thing?” I thought the question to her.