The Last Mission of the Living (The Last Bastion #2)(11)

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Torran hit the tabs on his helmet and swept it off. The cool fresh night air sifted through his sweaty hair as he furiously blinked his eyes. “Helmet off, Goodwin!”

Still unable to see clearly, he tried to get his bearings. Goodwin bumped into him as she flung her helmet aside.

“Sir!”

“I’m here!”

Back to back, the two remaining squad members held their weapons aloft. Torran strained to see through the massive spots obscuring his eyesight. The tapping of boot heels against asphalt sent shivers along his spine. Their enemies were coming closer.

“Alkan!” a voice barked out of the darkness.

“Looking for them, Reese!” a female replied. “They darted into the woods somewhere around here.”

“We need them,” Reese said in a fierce tone. “Without Martinez, we need more Anomalies to get into the city.”

“I know! Back off!”

These Abscrags did not fit the profile he’d been given. They were supposed to be of minor intelligence, able to use tools, and speak a smattering of words. These Abscrags were obviously intelligent and conniving. Therefore, they were much more dangerous.

The footfalls were steadily getting closer, and Torran urged Goodwin deeper into the thicket. His vision was clearing, but it was still difficult to move without too much noise. He doubted that the sound of gunfire from the battles in the distance was loud enough to mask their movements.

“At least the others will be rising soon. They can help us with this hunt,” Reese said ominously from the road.

“I’m going into the woods after them,” the woman named Alkan said in a fierce voice. “I’ll find them.”

It was still challenging to see, but Torran knew they couldn’t risk staying so close to the road. Tapping Goodwin on the shoulder, he attempted to signal to her, but realized that was foolish. Instead, he gripped her arm and dragged her behind him. Elbow out, gripping his weapon, he held his arm in front of his face and pushed forward through the tree branches. The prickly leaves scratched his face and caught in his hair, but he pressed forward, hoping to get some distance from the creature stalking them. It was tough to find sure footing, but he determinedly kept moving.

Goodwin stumbled along behind him. He got the impression she was recovering a bit slower than he was from being blinded. When the flash grenade had gone off, he’d been in the midst of looking away, so that had helped him not take the full brunt of the burst. It was becoming easier to maneuver through the thicket of pine trees as the spots in his sight cleared.

Nearby, a chorus of Inferi Scourge screeches marred the night. Torran had a suspicion it was his dead squad rising as Abscrags. The thought filled him with remorse and horror. He didn’t want to think of Rosario, Jonas, and the others transformed into murderous, smart Abscrags.

As his eyesight cleared, Torran moved faster, towing Goodwin behind him. He was certain they were being followed, for they were definitely generating enough noise, but he didn’t see or hear their pursuer. Of course, Alkan hadn’t been blinded, so she was able to be stealthier.

“I’m okay,” Goodwin whispered, tugging free of his grip. She heaved her weapon upward, ready to fire.

Taking a moment to study the way they’d come, Torran tried to discern if the tree boughs were being stirred by the wind or something much more dangerous.

“Keep close,” he said in a hushed voice.

Goodwin didn’t answer, but when he started moving, she was right on his heels. Cupping his hand over his wristlet screen, Torran accessed the map of the valley. The charge that had knocked out his armor’s electronics hadn’t disabled the wristlet. Since each citizen of The Bastion wore the wristlets from birth, they were made to be resistant to all forms of tampering, sabotage, or accidents. Even though he could use the wristlet comm device, he didn’t dare try to reach base again with the Abscrag hunting them. According to the readout on the tiny screen, they were headed in the right direction, but what would happen once they reached the exterior door of the subway? It was locked.

If only one Abscrag was following them, then they could eliminate her and make a run for the subway station down the road. Once they broke out of the wooded area, it would be easier to see who was pursuing them, and with this in mind, Torran quickened his pace.

Breathing heavily behind him, Goodwin maintained a close proximity.

By his estimates they were almost to the edge of the thicket when a sizzling noise sent both him and Goodwin scrambling for the nearest cover. Crouching low beside a tall tree, Torran searched for Goodwin in the gloom. It took him several seconds to spot her face down in the pine needles heaped on the forest floor.

The hissing sound continued and it took another few beats of his heart to realize that Goodwin had been shot with an electroshock gun. The weapons were used to subdue food riots in The Bastion. The rifles shot small black discs with barbs that attached to flesh and clothing and sent an incapacitating pulse of energy through their victim. Goodwin’s hands and feet beat against the ground as the surge paralyzed her.

Torran gritted his teeth and scanned the trees for the Abscrag pursuing them. One shot from an electroshock gun would render him unconscious. That’s how the Abscrags had subdued his people so quickly. But how did they get their hands on such a weapon? Blinking sweat and grit from his eyes, he tried to remember the range on the electroshock rifles. The Abscrag had to be close and definitely had the advantage. If he moved to recover Goodwin, the Abscrag would have him in her line of sight.