by Jenna Moreci
“Wherethehellaretheycomingfrom?”Evesnapped.
“Can’tyouseethem?They’reallover!They’reeverywhere!”
Evewrinkledhernose.“Whatdoyoumean everywhere?”
Suddenly,anexplosionofdirtandgrimeeruptedbehindher,andasshespun
in place, she saw the head and wings of an Interloper protruding from the ground,hissharp,curledtalonsdiggingtheirwaytothesurface.Another
Interloper burst through the floor, and then another, and soon others were burrowing out of the walls and the ceiling, and even more spilled from the openeddoorway.Acloudofthemflewoverhead,swarminglikeinsects,while
countlessothersgatheredalongtheground,closingranksfromallcornersof
theroom.AwaveofdreadwashedoverEve;sheandhercomradeswere
surrounded.
“Whatthehellareyouwaitingfor?” JJshouted .“RUN!”
Theybolteddowntheaisles.Evecouldhearthesoundofbeatingwingsand
stamping feet behind her, and so she pushed herself to move faster until the racksofclotheswereamereblurinherperipheralvision.AnInterloperburst
through the ground in front of her, pushing past the mud and clay with his wings,andshequicklyswervedintoanotherrow.Again,anInterloperpopped
upthroughthefloordirectlyinherpath,thrashinghistalonsandgnashinghis
teeth,andsheslidtoahaltandscrambleddownaneighboringaisle.
Achorusofshriekssoundedoverhead,andEvelookeduptoseeamassof
Interloperscirclingaboveher.Withonequickmovement,asinglealien
separatedfromthepackandplungedtotheground,snatchingPercyupinhis
claws and carrying him up into the air. With a triumphant roar, the creature flung Percy at the wall, but before he made impact, Eve caught him with her melt, jolting his body in the opposite direction and pulling him back to the floor.
Evecontinuedracingthroughthecloset,speedingpasttheracksasshe
searcheddesperatelyforanescape.Finally,shecaughtsightofsomethingoff
inthedistance:adarkenedportal,leadingtoGodknowswhere,butitwasher
onlyoption,andshechargedtowardit.
Agustofhotairpouredacrossthebackofherneck—shelookedoverher
shoulderandfoundanotherInterloperzoomingbehindher,hiswingspulsing
and his face twisted into a psychotic grin. Suddenly a river of bullets ripped throughthecreature’sface,tearingthesmilerightoffhislips,andhislifeless bodycrashedtothefloor.Sanchowasscurryingthroughtheaislebesidehers,
hisgunsprotrudingfromthetopofhisbackpackandhiseyeswidewith
excitement.
“Isthisthingabeastorwhat?”hechirped.“Look,Icanevenoperateitwith
onehand!”Heimmediatelyheldonehandintheairandrantheotheralonghis
controlpanel,andsureenough,hisgunsswiveledinplaceandunloadeda
flurryofbulletsatfourfast-approachingInterlopers.
Anearsplittingboomsoundedoverheadasapackofaliensburstthroughthe
ceiling,sendingchunksofdirtrainingdownontheroombelow.Anunending
swarmofInterlopersspilledoutofthemassivehole,andEvebarreledahead,
praying that she could somehow outrun the countless aliens now gathering
aboveher.
AnInterloperexplodedfromthegroundjustafewpacesahead.Withno
time to stop and nowhere to turn, Eve gritted her teeth and leapt over the creature,onlyforhimtoeffortlesslyswatatherbootandsendhertumblingto
theground.Sherolledonce,twice,thenstaggeredtoherfeet.
Butsomethingfeltwrong.Shepattedherwaistband.
Thetorqwasgone.
Panicsetin.Evefranticallyscannedthegroundaroundherfeet,ignoringthe
surroundingchaos.ShecouldfeeltheInterlopersbearingdownonher,could
hear the pounding of their wings, but still she searched. She couldn’t leave withoutthetorq.
There! Shespotteditsittingbeneatharackjustafewfeetaway.Butbeforeshe couldeventakeonestepinitsdirection,anInterlopertorethroughtheground
behindherandyankedatherankle,sendingherface-plantingintothe
dirt.Sheliftedherhead—thetorqwassoclose,andshereachedforit,barely
touchingitwithherfingertips—buttheInterlopertuggedherbackward,
dragging her body along the ground. She clawed at the dirt, trying to free herselffromherlatestfoe,buthegrabbedatherwaistandpluckedherfrom
theground,pinningherarmstohersides.
Evesquirmedwithinhisgrasp,buthetightenedhishold,squeezingheruntil
shecouldfeelthebonesofhischestdiggingintoherspine.Withagrunt,she
swungherlegsbackward,kickingathimoverandoveragain,buttonoavail;
helaughedatherattempts,hisbodyshakingwithhiscausticcackle.Withfew
options,Eveclenchedherjawandslammedherheadagainstthecreature’s face.Hestumbledtotheside,andthoughherownskullwasthrobbingfromthe
impact,Evemanagedtowriggleherarmfreeandjabherelbowintothecenter
ofthecreature’sthroat.
Finally,theInterloperreleasedhishold,andEvedroppedtothefloor,
immediatelyrollingontoherbackandmeltingheradversaryintoawall.She
sprangtoherfeetandturnedtowardthelastplaceshehadseenthetorq.
Itwasgone.Hereyesdartedfromsidetoside,andthenshespunina
completecircle,butstill,nothing.Instantlyherstomachdropped,andthe
realityofthemomentsetin. OhGod,shethought. I’velostit.
Just then, an Interloper dropped down in front of her, landing with enough forcetoshaketheground.Shestaggeredawayfromhim,butnotquickly
enough—thecreaturebackhandedherhardacrosstheface,sendingher
topplingtothefloor.ShelookedupattheInterloper,andherheartstopped.
Inhishandwasthetorq.
Heexaminedthedevice,turningitoverinhisclaws,thenlookedbackatEve,a
toothysmilespreadingacrosshisface.
“Youareveryclever,Female.”
Suddenly,aneruptionofthick,yellowpussprayedfromthecreature’s
throat,andhisheadpoppedoffofhisnecklikeagolfballhitfromatee.The
headless body stood in place just for a moment, then limply toppled to the floor.BehinditstoodJason,hisaxeathisside,drippingwithblood.Hepried
thetorqfromthecreature’slifelessclawsandtossedittoEve.
“Lookingforthis?”
Anotherhowlrangthroughtheroom.EvenmoreInterlopersweresoaring
overhead,ifthatwerepossible,asifthenumberhadgrownexponentially.Eve
staredatJason,thenpointedattheportalatthebackoftheroom.
“Weneedtogetthehell outofhere,”sheordered.
Justasthewordsleftherlips,analientorethroughthegroundbetweenthem,
sendingthemstumblinginoppositedirections.Againtheydashed
throughthecloset,keepingtheportalinsight.
TheInterloperswereinclosepursuit.Threemoredippedfromtheceiling
andhoveredaboveEve,butshechanneledhermeltandsentthemcrashing
againstthewalls.Anotherpackpursuedheronfoot,shovingpasttheracksand
leavingbehindatrailofdestruction.Gunshotsechoedthroughthespace,
followed by the sound of bodies tumbling to t
he floor, and she turned to see Percy running behind her, his guns drawn. Again she focused on the portal, nowonlyashortdistanceaway,butyetanotherInterloperburstfromthe
ground in front of her, clambering to his feet in an instant. Before she could react, Jason lunged from the opposite aisle, hurling a rack on top of the creatureandshovinghimtotheground.Thetwodisappearedintoatangleof
limbs and hangers, and then Jason resurfaced, slamming his axe into the pile beneathhimuntilpusseepedthroughthefabrics.
AtlastEvereachedtheportal,stoppingbesideitandfranticallysearchingfor
her comrades. Jason was quickly by her side, and Percy, too, was fast
approaching,stillshootingatahandfulofaliensthattrailedbehindhim.
Anxiously,Eveeyedtheclosetonelasttime—thetoppledracks,thedead
bodies,andthehordesofInterlopersstillremaining—andjustasshefeltahint ofrelief,aheavyweightsuddenlydroppedinherstomach.
“Wait,”shemuttered,“where’sSancho?”
SheglancedbackandforthbetweenJasonandPercy—theirmouthsopened
stupidly,butneitherspoke.Againshegazedoutattheroom,pasttheravenous
aliens,butsawnoblack,spikyhair,nounwieldyflamethrowers.Hereyes
widened.
“WHERETHEHELLISSANCHO?”
“OhmyGod,”Percyspat.“Welosthim.WELOSTSANCHO!”
“Whendidwelosehim?”
“Ihaven’tseenhimsincewegothere,”Jasonsaid.
“OHMYGOD,WHATIS WRONGWITHUS?”Percybarked.
TwoInterloperslungedtowardthem,butEveimmediatelychanneledher
giftandsmashedtheirbodiesintooneanother.AnotherInterloperheadedtheir
way,butPercyshothiminthethroatandcontinuedsearchingtheemptyspace
infrontofthem.
“SANCHO?”Eveshouted,pausingtomeltyetanotherInterloperintothe
wall.Againshedesperatelyscannedtheroom.“SANCHO!”
Agutturalroarechoedfromabove,bringingEve’sattentionbacktothe
conflictathand.SevenInterloperswereflyingtowardher,theirbodiesaligned
like winged soldiers preparing for battle. Before she could even channel her
melt,agunshotechoedthroughthespace,andthefirstcreatureplummetedto theground.
Evestaredatthealien’sbody;thebackofhisheadhadbeenblowntobits,
his flesh and skull lying in pieces beside him. Then, one by one, each of the other six attacking Interlopers dropped to the floor, collapsing into pools of theirownblood.Evestaredindisbelief,firstatthedefeatedcorpses,andthen
at the figure before her: Sancho stood in the center of the pathway, his guns pointedineverydirection.
“Balls, calmdown,Eve,”hemumbled.
Thethreesomegazedathiminshock.Evepeeredaroundhissmallframe
andsawastringofbodieslyingbehindhim,eachonewithabulletlodgedin
itsskull.
“Didyou—”Evestuttered,“didyoudoallofthatbyyourself?”
“Toldyouthisthingwasabeast!”Sancholovinglypattedhisdevice.
Evegaspedaloud;anInterloperwastorpedoingtowardthem,hissights
clearly set on Sancho. Without even turning his head, Sancho coolly ran his fingers along his controls, and one of his many guns swiveled in place and firedasingle,preciselyaimedbulletstraightthroughthecreature’smouth.
Instantly,thelifelessaliendroppedtotheground.
Sanchoglanceddownatthedeadbodyandthenlookedupatthehugemass
ofInterlopersstilllooming.
“Goonwithoutme,”hesaid.“I’llhold’emoff.”
“Areyou crazy?”Evesnapped.
“Relax,Igotthis.”
“Don’tbean idiot,Sancho,”Percysnarled.
SanchofiredatanotherInterloperandrolledhiseyes.“Seriously,doesit look likeIneedyourhelp?”Hesmiled.“Thisisjustlikeplaying Space Donkeys.”
“ButSanch—”Jasonprotested.
“Go!”Sanchorepeated,realigninghisweapons.“I’llbefine!”
EvestaredatSancho,whowasalreadylaunchingastreamofbulletsatanew
packofInterlopers.Dozensofaliensremained,crawlingalongthewallsand
soaringbelowtheceiling,butSanchowascalm,evenjoyful,wieldinghis
device with the utmost confidence. Eve hesitated; she couldn’t just leave him there,andyetdespitehowmuchthethoughtsickenedher,sheknewshehadno
otheralternative.
PercystormedtowardSancho,hisbrowfurrowedwithdisapproval.“Look,
thisisn’tsomegoddamn hologame,Sanch.You’recomingwithus rightnow
—”
SanchoturnedtoEveandscowled.“Willyoujusttakehimwithyou
already?”
“But—”shefaltered.
“GO!”
EveandJasongrabbedPercy’sshouldersandyankedhimbackward,
dragging him toward the exit. He fought their coercion, kicking his legs and spewingprofanities,buthiseffortswereinvain,andheultimatelygaveinto
their force. Together, the three of them dashed through the portal and raced down the tunnel, running as far from the closet as possible, until Sancho and theentirewarzonedisappearedfromsight.
After what felt like hours of aimless running, Eve finally slowed her pace, restingherhandsonherkneesasshewaitedforJasonandPercytocatchup.
Thetwoboysjoinedherinthecenterofthetunnel,nearlycollidingwithone
another as they skidded to a halt, and then they each took a moment to catch theirbreath.
Evetriedtoremaincalm.ShecouldfeelPercybyherside,hislabored
panting slowing to a painful silence. A bitter lump formed in Eve’s throat, quicklyfollowedbyasenseofself-loathing.SheknewJasonfeltittoo,asshe
couldhearhimanxiouslyrunninghisfingersthroughhishair.Percywasnow
pacing,kickingattheground,andmutteringthemostvilecursewordshe
couldfathom.
“I’m sure it was necessary,” JJ whispered, interrupting the silence. She knew exactlywhattheywerethinking—thattheydespisedthemselves.Whetheritwas
at his insistence or not, they had left one of their comrades behind. They had abandonedSancho.
Eve swallowed the lump in her throat and approached both Percy and Jason, affectionatelysqueezingtheirshouldersbeforeleadingthewaydownthe
tunnel.Theywalkedinsilence,clearlydistracted,shakenbySancho’sabsence.
“Youthinkhe’sokay?”Percyasked,hisvoiceuncharacteristicallyfearful.
Evedidn’thearhisquestion.Hereyeshadadjustedtothedarkness,andatlast
shecouldseethetunnelinfrontofher.
Aseriesofportalsstretchedfarintothedistance.
“Shit,”shemuttered.
“Dynamic,”Percysneered.“Theycanliterallyattackusfromanyanglenow.”
JasonwrappedhisarmaroundEve’swaistandbroughthertohisside.“Stay
close,”hewhispered.HeturnedtoPercy,hisaxeinhand.“Be cautious.”
Thegroupcontinuedon,walkingasslowlyandquietlyastheycould
manage.Eve’seyesdartedbetweenhersensor,hercomrades,andthetunnel
ahead,makingherdizzyandwroughtwithparanoia.Percypointedhisgunat
theportalstohisleft,andJasonkepthissightsontheportalstohisright,but eachopeningtheypassedwasdark
andempty.
Soontheywerenearingtheendofthetunnel,andalarge,closeddoor
loomed just a short distance ahead of them. But just as Eve began to feel hopeful,shecaughtsightofareddishglowinherperipheralvision.She
lookeddownatherilluminatedsensorandtheneyedthefewremainingportals
to her left, quickly focusing her attention on one just a few feet away. She pressedherbackagainstthewall,asdidJasonandPercy,andassheslidcloser
andclosertowardtheopening,hersensorbrighteneduntilherentirefacewas
litwithred.
“JJ,”Evewhispered.
“Iknow.I’mcounting.”
Theystoodinsilence,waitingforJJtospeak.
“Mustbeabignumber,”Percymumbled,unenthusiastically.
“Forty-one,” JJfinallyanswered. “Forty-onebodies.”
Jasongroaned.“God dammit.”
EvecockedhergunandtookonelastlookatJasonandPercy.“Youready?”
Thetwoboysnodded,theirbrowsheavy,theirjawsrigidasiftheywere
grinding their teeth in anticipation. Together, the threesome sprang from the wallandbargedthroughtheportal,weaponsdrawn.
Aseriesofgaspsandshriekssoundedthroughthespace.Theroomwas
smallanddank,filledfromwalltowallwithrowsofcagesstackedoneontop
ofthenext—andsittinginsideeachcagewasahuman,theirbodiescurledinto
tightballsorpressedagainstthebars,someevensprawledonthefloorin
despair. They stared at Eve and her friends with petrified expressions, their eyesdartingbetweenthethreenewfacesandtheirweapons.
“What’shappening?” JJasked,frantically. “What’sgoingon?”
“Nothing.”Eveloweredherweaponandbreathedasighofrelief.“Wefound
thecaptives.”SheturnedtoPercyandJason.“Comeon,let’sgetthemloose.”
Eveventuredtowardoneofthecages,runningherfingersalongtheframe
assheeyeditsdesign.Thesewerethesamecagesshe’dseenatthenestinthe
Wilds.EvethoughtofFlorenza,andthenshenoticedthecaptivestaringbackat
her:aboyshedidn’trecognize,hishandsshakingashegrippedthemetalbars.