Fuck, Dom thought. Bodies filled the dance floor. No, it would be generous to even call them bodies. Much like the remnants of the man nearest him, what remained of the cruise ship passengers was now nothing more than broken and pitted bones, chewed on and discarded by the Skulls.
The sounds of scraping and scratching caused Dom to swivel. He pressed the stock of his rifle to his shoulder and peered down the sights. Low growls and the sounds of flesh smacking flesh echoed across the macabre dance floor. A pack of Skulls jostled with each other, fighting to be the first to get at something at the opposite end of the room. Between their bodies, Dom could make out a door. It shook each time the Skulls threw themselves at it. There must have been someone behind it. Maybe more survivors. He used two fingers to point to his eyes, then at the half-dozen Skulls climbing over each other and grunting. The rest of the Hunters nodded and trained their gun barrels on the pack.
If there were survivors beyond the door, Dom didn't want to unwittingly take them out with a stray bullet. He signaled for the team to spread out in two clusters. Miguel, Jenna, and Andris took starboard while Dom, Meredith, Jenna, and Hector took port.
They crept along the sides of the room until they established clear firing lanes. Making a fist, Dom held up a hand and approached a column near an overturned dining table. The other Hunters followed.
The clatter of the Skulls crashing at the door and the scratch of their bony claws against the walls echoed throughout the room. The beasts continued to snarl and shove each other as they beat at the door. The Oni Agent had left its inevitable mark on them, evidenced by the coils of bony plates protecting their vital organs and the hooked claws growing from their fingers.
Dom prayed someone beyond that door was still alive. Whoever had barricaded themselves behind it was hopefully in better shape than the shredded corpses scattered around the dance floor.
As Dom shouldered his rifle, the Hunters mirrored his movements. Their labored breaths echoed over his comm link. He imagined the rivulets of nervous sweat streaming down their foreheads under their helmets and behind their NVGs. He held up three fingers against the forestock of his rifle. It was an almost imperceptible gesture, but the Hunters were well trained. He could practically feel their gazes as he counted down.
Three.
The others shouldered their rifles.
Two.
Dom inhaled sharply.
O—
The loud crash of broken ceramic sounded behind them before they even got a shot off. Several busted chairs flew as a beastly shape hurtled through the shadows toward the Hunters. Its overgrown shoulder blades stuck out like shark’s fins. And this shark was headed straight toward live meat.
Another burst of clattering dishware and crumpling tables echoed as a second, then a third and fourth Skull fell from a broken tile in the ceiling. The four Skulls charged, and the half-dozen Skulls that had been clamoring at the door on the other side of the ballroom swiveled. Each bellowed, their earsplitting voices a chorus straight from the darkest of hells.
Dom aimed at the first Skull barreling toward him and squeezed his trigger. He missed. The beast ducked low, and the bullets tore into a table instead, sending a shower of splinters into the air. The Skull disappeared beyond a bar near the shattered dining furniture. Another salvo erupted from Dom’s weapon, joining the bark of rifles and the screams of Skulls. The rounds smashed into the few bottles of liquor still remaining. Glass shards exploded, and alcohol poured from the shelves.
The Skull appeared from behind the bar unscathed and leapt at Dom. He drew a bead on the beast, but a hand tugged him hard on the shoulder, pulling him backward. He lost his aim. Another Skull swiped, barely missing his head. Whoever had grabbed his shoulder had helped him avoid the skeletal claws cutting through the air in front of his face now.
Meredith stepped forward, her gun chattering at the Skull that had attempted the attack from behind. At point-blank range, she couldn’t miss. Dom gave her a quick nod. No time to thank her for saving his ass. The Skull that had attacked from behind the bar scrambled back to its feet. Its bony appendages scraped against the floor and clattered against each other. Long, stringy hair flowed from its head, and it reared back in a howl.
The creature charged again, and Dom squeezed the rifle’s trigger. A volley of bullets slammed against the Skull’s ribcage. Each round smashed against the organic body armor, staggering the Skull but not stopping it. The beast drew back a taloned hand. It was close enough for Dom to see the spittle fly from between its serrated teeth. Another squeeze of the trigger, and the bullets plunged into the creature’s face. Its body, carried forward by inertia, tumbled and crashed against a tangle of dining chairs.
More gunfire and shrieks hit Dom’s eardrums like a rogue wave. The scent of blood and gunfire permeated the air. Hunters battled against Skulls; all order and organization was lost.
The beasts dropped from the ventilation shafts and broken ceiling. Another Skull burst into the room, rendering the door nothing but broken splinters. It appeared even more brutish and ogre-like than its brethren, huffing as it ran at Dom. Its bulbous muscles throbbed and flexed under the skeletal plates. It surpassed the size of any Skull Dom had ever seen, and it tossed aside tables and chairs as if they were toys. There was only one word Dom could use to accurately describe it: Goliath.
Dom fired at the Goliath until his slide locked back. The beast’s footsteps shook the floor, and its bellows rattled Dom’s bones. He barely had time to jump to the side when the brute barreled past.
As Dom rolled and took a knee, he reloaded his rifle, drawing his sights on the giant monster. He expected the creature to skid to a stop and attempt a second charge. But it made no such effort. Instead, it continued toward another Hunter focused on bringing down a smaller Skull.
“Hector!” Dom yelled and lunged, shooting. He hurdled over a chair.
Hector turned and saw the Goliath. But it was too late.
-16-
Kara paused at the basement door. She’d heard something just beyond it, and she leaned against the wooden door to see if she could catch it again.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
Maybe it was a mouse. She smiled to herself, remembering the mouse she’d found in a flowerpot on the back deck when she was eight. She never understood how other people could be so frightened of such a tiny, furry little animal with its sad-looking black eyes and round Dumbo ears. She’d run inside the house and grabbed a slice of bread. Each time she’d tossed a breadcrumb into the pot, the mouse had scooped it up in its little paws and gnawed at it until it disappeared. The little critter had licked its paws clean and looked at her, anxiously awaiting the next morsel. Kara had giggled, which had caused the mouse to jump then freeze in place underneath the tangle of perennials.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
The memories scattered from Kara’s mind. The wood felt cool on her ear. She pressed it closer and concentrated on the sound. The scratching was louder. Too loud for a mouse. What was it?
“Kara...”
She shot back from the door. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and a slow shiver traced its way down her spine. The voice seemed familiar. But there was something off about it. She couldn’t quite place it, but she knew she didn’t like it.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. Louder, closer. Scratch.
“Kara...”
She backed away, her eyes wide and heart pounding. Something slammed against the door, and she jumped.
“Kara!”
The door exploded in a spray of splinters, and a shape bounded forward. Kara fell and landed on her tailbone, pain radiating up her back. She tried to crawl away, but something strode out from the basement. Something almost human—but definitely not.
It prowled, its arms tensed. Long talons splayed from its hands. Knobs twisted from its brow like small horns, and crooked yellowish growths sprouted from its joints as if its bones had broken and torn from its skin. It stepped closer, its bloo
dshot eyes locking with Kara’s. And in that gaze, beyond the curtain of hair snarled in the mass of grotesque skeletal protrusions, Kara recognized the creature’s bright eyes. The ones that had once looked down on her in sympathy when she’d fractured her wrist snowboarding, that had offered her comfort when her first boyfriend had dumped her after a middle school dance, that had shown pure joy when she found out she’d earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Maryland to study biology. Now those eyes were filled with unfamiliar hunger and hate.
The Skull’s mouth opened, and its tongue flicked between jagged teeth. Hot breath rolled over her as it spoke. “Kara...”
It was her mother’s voice, but this monster was no longer her mother.
“No, no, no, no.” Kara wanted to run, wanted to flee, but she couldn’t. Her muscles were locked, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the body that once belonged to her mother but was now owned by the Oni Agent.
“Kara!” The Skull lunged with claws spread, its mouth opened wide, ready to bite into warm flesh. Kara closed her eyes and waited for it all to be over.
But she never felt the teeth sink into her skin. Instead, she felt only numb paralysis.
“Kara?” This voice was different. Still familiar but younger, softer.
Kara tried to open her eyes. The world was a bright mess around her, blinding her instantly. It was as though someone were shining a spotlight into her face. She realized she could only see out of one eye. Something was wrong. Her pulse raced and panic swelled. She tried to reach up to her eyes. But her arm felt too heavy to move.
“Kara, are you awake?” That voice again.
Her one good pupil adjusted to the surroundings. She was in a hospital. At least it looked like one and certainly smelled like one. But she swore she could feel the whole room swaying.
Oh, God, was she going insane? Moving from one nightmare to the next?
It all rushed back to her. Her mother infected and trapped in their basement. Reuniting with her father and flying into Fort Detrick. The chopper crash, the Skull attack. And now...now she must be on her father’s ship.
Her breathing started to slow, her pace settling. It was starting to make sense. She’d been injured when the Skulls had surrounded the downed chopper. And then somehow she’d made it here.
“Kara, are you awake?” the voice asked again. Sadie. Her sister.
Kara tried to twist her neck to see Sadie, but the effort was too much. “I...” she began before coughing. Her tongue, dry and bloated, stuck to the roof of her mouth. She heard the patter of feet on the tiled floor and caught sight of Sadie racing around the other side of the bed.
“Is that better?”
Kara smiled at her sister. At least, she tried to smile. Her lips felt numb, and she wasn’t sure what kind of ghastly expression she was actually making. “Yeah,” she managed. “Wh... Wh...”
“Shhh, you’re okay,” Sadie said. “I’m going to get Divya.”
Footsteps raced away. Something wet and slobbery tickled the back of Kara’s hand. She strained her right eye and saw Maggie’s snout poking up over the edge of the bed. The dog’s tail waved like a golden, furry fan. Kara wanted to pet her but still couldn’t find the strength. The sound of two pairs of footsteps greeted her. A woman with short dark hair and brown eyes approached her bedside.
“I’m Divya,” the woman said, adjusting her white coat. “I’m one of the doctors. How are you feeling?”
“Thir... Thirsty,” Kara got out.
Divya nodded and held a Styrofoam cup with a straw near Kara’s mouth. She inserted the straw between Kara’s lips. The cool water trickled over her tongue. Another few sips and her tongue felt normal again. Or at least closer to normal.
After pulling over a stool, Divya sat beside Kara. “Do you remember what happened?”
“I was attacked by a Skull,” Kara said. “It’s all a blur, but that’s the last thing I remember.”
“That’s right.”
Kara’s nightmare returned to her. She pictured her mother’s transformation. “Am I going to become a Skull, too?”
A slight, pitying smile cracked across Divya’s face. “I don’t think so. We developed some antibody assays—you know what those are?”
Kara nodded, recalling the term from her bio classes. “You found an antibody for the Oni Agent?”
“We did,” Divya said. “We can tell if your body is producing the antibody in reaction to the presence of the Oni Agent. Your levels have dropped dramatically since you were first brought in, which we think means the Agent is no longer in your system.”
“Divya said you were brought here just in time,” Sadie added with a grin.
“That’s right,” Divya said. “We started the treatment right away. I believe you’ll rebound in no time from the Oni Agent.” The doctor’s face dropped slightly before she recovered her smile.
“But?” Kara asked, knowing there must be something else.
“Well, I want you to understand we’re just a small medical bay on a ship. We don’t have all the equipment a normal hospital might.”
“No need to sugarcoat it.” Kara tried to sound stern even as dread filled her. The doctor claimed she wouldn’t be turning into a Skull, so what could possibly be worse?
“The damage to your face was substantial, and we did the best we could with the supplies we had, but there’s going to be some scarring.”
“That’s it?” Kara asked.
Divya cocked her head, nonplussed. “Well, your eye’s been scratched up pretty badly, too, but I think your vision should recover.”
“But I’m not turning into a Skull?”
“I don’t want to lie to you and tell you I’m one hundred percent sure you’re free and clear, but all signs point to no.”
Kara sighed. “Okay. Scars I can deal with. But Skulls...” She tried to lift her arm again. A new fear struck her. “Am I going to be paralyzed?”
Divya shook her head. “No, no. You should be fine. The side effects of the treatment can leave you feeling extremely weak for a day or so. Unfortunately, we may have overestimated your dosage of the therapy since you’re the smallest patient we’ve had. I think that’s why your body’s reacting especially strongly to the drugs. That means your bones are extremely vulnerable right now, so you’ll need bed rest for a while.”
“But I’ll keep you company!” Sadie said. “And Maggie will, too!”
Kara forced a smile, but another thought nagged at her. “Where’s Dad?”
Sadie’s face lost its joy as quickly as a puddle evaporating in the desert. She turned away, leaving Divya to answer the question.
“Your dad’s on another mission,” Divya said.
Kara stared at Sadie. Her sister wouldn’t look her in the eye, but Kara could see the tears brimming. She should tell Sadie their dad would be okay, that he’d be back soon. Offer her vague reassurances that she couldn’t even believe herself.
But she knew what her sister was feeling. They’d already lost one parent to the Skulls. They couldn’t lose another.
-17-
“Doc, my stomach feels like it’s turning inside out and my skin’s hot and my head hurts and I’ve got these shivers,” a potbellied passenger with a half-crown of brown hair said to Lauren. He grabbed her shoulder while she tried to give a shot of antibiotics to a ten-year-old girl with a scraped arm on the crowded deck of the Queen of the Bay. “Come on, Doc. I don’t want to turn into one of those monsters!”
“Calm down, sir!” Lauren said. “Holtz, can you please help me out?”
Sweat beaded on Holtz’s head. He tried to pull the middle-aged man back into the crowd of passengers waiting their turn for Lauren and the medical crew to examine them.
Lauren had tried to organize some sort of triage on the exterior decks while Dom and the Hunters cleared the ship, but the people pressing against each other on the meager deck space hadn’t made the task easy. The heat of the crowd was suffocating. Passengers jostled for positions al
ong the gunwale. A woman bent over the side of the ship, her retching and gagging audible to Lauren amid the desperate passengers. An elderly woman elbowed past a couple in their mid-thirties as she shoved her way to the front of the crowd. A baby wailed as her father tried desperately to calm the infant.
“Patience, people, patience!” Sean yelled, his voice cracking. The wiry epidemiologist’s command did nothing to quiet the passengers.
Lauren patted the young girl’s arm after she finished administering the shot. She put a fresh bandage on it to match the one she’d placed over the scratches. “All better!”
She willed herself to appear confident and smiled. She patted the girl’s arm. The girl had claimed to be unsure where the small cuts on her arm had come from. No doubt the girl’s memory had been compromised by shock. Her face was still ghost-white.
Lauren hoped the girl’s scratches hadn’t been from Skulls—hoped the girl wouldn’t turn into one of them—but there was nothing more she could do besides give the child a minimal dose of the chelation treatment. She watched the girl’s parents take her back into the crowd, sucked away beyond the wall of passengers.
“Next!” Lauren called.
An elderly man, his back hunched by age, was practically shoved forward. Lauren caught him and helped lower him to a step near the temporary medical station she’d established with her team.
“How are you feeling, sir?” Lauren asked, already checking over his skin for abrasions and cuts. “Any scratches or scrapes from...from the Skulls?” She still felt strange about referring to the monsters as if she were asking her patient if they’d been bitten by a dog without a leash. Rabies, frightening enough before the Oni Agent, now seemed like a much kinder disease.
The Tide: Breakwater (Tide Series Book 2) Page 11