SIX DAYS LATER

D-Day has been set. It was to be the next day.

In the Gym, Rolls and Moreno were sparring with wooden swords. Luis Walker, Rock Leskow and Charles Rochenoire were having unofficial bench pressing competition. Lisa Kerry and Lin Fan Gau were sparring, testing each other’s martial skills. Ryker and Razorback were sparring with small wooden knives. Watkins and Mitchell were just talking. The rest of the guys were in a basketball court, shooting some B-Ball.

Watkins: “ Bonn ever told you this was half his idea?”

Mitchell: “Exodus? Yeah, he told me. Facing zombies in Jamaica, right?”

Watkins: “Yeah. That almost 35 years ago.” He rubbed his face. “Don’t you ever feel tired, Winston?”

Mitchell: “Sometimes. Feels like we’re all men of la Mancha, battling windmills.”

Watkins: “ Sometimes, feels like we’re battling wind. Look at us. Look at them. Our teams. Soldiers, cops all over the world. And vigilantes, like Jones. We go at it, 24/7, and still, I just don’t feel we’re making a dent. People always finds a new way to hurt others.” He sighed. “I dunno, Maybe I just need to retire from all this.”

Mitchell: “Maybe.”

Watkins: “You say you feel it too?”

Mitchell: “I do.”

Watkins: “How do you get past it?”

Mitchell: “I rest. I make love to Karin Davilla. I visit my daughter Tiffany and hug her as much as I can. I remind myself of why I do this and I go on. So nobody else goes through what I went through.”

Watkins: “Is that enough?”

Mitchell: “Most of the time it is. You do your best, John. The monsters we kill won’t be around to harm innocent people. It’s something.”

Watkins sighed: “I suppose it is.”

Mitchell: “You did your time in, John. You’ve led several Exodus Teams. Maybe you could step away from all this.”

Watkins: “Maybe.” Pause. “Maybe.”

Mitchell noticed Jones, working out.

“You like that kid, do you?” Watkins said. “You’d like him with the DOGs?”

Mitchell: “He could do a lot of good with us. And not have to worry about on the run from the law. I can’t say he doesn’t remind me of me. Not just background and in terms of what happened to each of us, but, he is a paradox, like we discussed earlier. A loner who gets along well with team-mates. Like he wants to rebuild that family he had as a child, but is afraid to lose it again. So he puts on an emotional armor. And walks his path alone.” Pause. “And, yeah. I like the kid.”

Watkins: “You offered him a spot with the team?”

Mitchell: “Yeah. Turned us down.”

Watkins: “ Can’t force him. He wants to be alone.”

Mitchell: “He forces himself to be alone. That’s different.”

Watkins: “ Maybe. Well, if you try to reach out to him and it doesn’t work, lemme know.”

Mitchell: “Why?”

Watkins: “Because I might wanna have him on my team. Could always use an extra gun.”

Mitchell: “How about Stevens?”

Watkins: “Hell of an asset, I’ll give you that. Living weapon. All guts an apple pie. Smart, too. And enhanced. And unique. His process was painful enough, not turning into Shelby to make an army of theses. But Jones is something else as well.”

Mitchell: “Typical spook. Always greedy. You want it all.”

Watkins: “I yam what I yam.”

Further away, in the basketball court, Tom Gellar left the game to talk to Christine Burchette, love of his life.

“Stay away, babe.” Gellar said. “I smell like a locker.”

“Please, I’m used to seeing you all sweaty and aching.” Burchette said.

Gellar: “Yeah, since usually it’s your fault I’m in that state.”

Burchette: “Exactly, big man.”

Silence.

Gellar: “Big day, tomorrow.”

Burchette: “It is. Maybe our last.”

Gellar: “That’s very possible.”

Burchette: “I think you’ve earned yourself a shower, a beer and an obscene amount of sexual pleasure.”

Gellar: “Sounds like a plan.”

They walked through the gym, noticed Jones.

Gellar: “What do you make of him? Jones?”

Burchette: “Solitary, taciturn, extremely driven, burdened with guilt, high thresh-hold for pain. Certainly not insane, though deeply wounded and angry. Very angry. Though he is calm, in control. With an obsessive personality when it comes to his goals and his guilt. But I’ve told you this already, why ask again?”

Gellar: “How would he fit in with the team?”

Burchette, surprised. :”Exodus?”

Gellar: “No, the Lakers. Of course, Exodus, why?”

Burchette: “ I don’t know. Just that the first you guys met…”

Gellar: “Misunderstanding. It’s all been cleared.”

Burchette: “You want him on the team?”

Gellar: “Why not? Not only is this guy one of the toughest, most skilled men I’ve ever met in my life, but he’s a believer. He doesn’t care about medals, money and benefits. He’s out there, alone, day in and day out fighting for what he believes is. Justice. And doing a good job of it, too. He faced those monsters without blinking. Not to mention that the company could probably wipe his record and stop that manhunt against him. He’s been busted twice. Question of time before his luck runs out.”

Burchette: “You make valid points. You gonna pitch it to him?”

Gellar: “If we survive tomorrow.”

Burchette: “Let’s go somewhere and pretend we’re not.”

Gellar: “ Briilant idea, Agent Burchette.”

During that time, Ryker and Rochenoire took a break from their respective sparring sessions and looked at Jones on the heavy bag. Soon, they were joined by Priest.

Priest: “I know what you’re thinking, Dale.”

Ryker: ”Why not?”

Priest: “Nothing, except the fact that he’s second only to Ben Laden on the Wanted list.”

Rochenoire: “The brotha’s more than proved himself.”

Ryker: “ We all have our skeletons. Shit, most of the core team have been disgraced one way or another. Very few of us are as pure as the driven snow, lad.”

Priest: “For God’s sakes…”

Ryker: “He saved Sarah and Chuck D back in Scotland, when those white supremacist head-the-balls went after me.”

Priest: “You guys aren’t being rational.”

Then another voice joined them. It was Jager. “Then you need a German. Cold efficiency and rationality are in my genes.”

Rochenoire chuckled. Ryker: “ Can’t argue that, Preacher.”

Jager: “We like Jones. And he is sure as hell is competent. So, let’s recruit him.”

Rochenoire: “Amen.”

Priest, after a sigh.: “Look, if we can survive this…craziness, we can pitch it to him, see what he thinks. But he’s a loner. He might turn us down.”

Jager: “We can at least try.”

Priest: “God help us.”

Meanwhile…

Luther Jones was alone, hitting on a heavy bag.

For weeks, now, he has been haunted by the ghost of Bryce Howard, the young boy who watched his mother be savaged by Shelby’s abominations. Maybe, after D-Day, if he was still alive, the cries will be silenced.

But Jones knew better. He often saw faces in his sleep, not of those he killed, but those he failed to rescue, of fallen comrades in his days as a soldier.

And of Uncle Marcus. And Jamie.

Those faces bring him torment but also feed his resolve to never surrender and always fight. Hunt. Kill. Remove the predators that preyed on the defenseless, that crush the innocent to further increase their wealth or power.

“Hey.”

The voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned around and saw Perry.

Jones: “Yeah.”

Perry: “Look, uh…I don’t know how to put this…”

Jones: “It’s okay, Perry.”

Perry: “Lemme finish, please.”

Jones, nodding, seeing in Perry’s eyes that something needed to be exorcised: “All right.”

Perry:” I don’t scare easy, man and I’ve faced some ugly shit. I ain’t fearless, but I just don’t scare easy. And after a while of working in this outfit, I sure as shit don’t get scared by no man. But you did. That time, when we first tangled, you jumped me, and I looked in your eyes…I got scared. If that’s the look you give scumbags on the street, I don’t blame them for crapping their pants when they hear your name. I just…couldn’t deal with it, that split second of fear. So, that’s why I’ve been bustin’ your balls all this time. I had to prove to myself you didn’t scare me. It’s dumb, I know, but there it is. I’m sorry for being such a dickhead. And for punching you, I know why you got me riled and me do it, but, still. I’m sorry. ”

Perry extended his hand. Jones shook it and said.

“It’s all right. Forget about it, Perry. You’re a good soldier and a brave man. You don’t have to prove it, to anyone.”

“Thanks, Jones, I appreciate it.”

“Am I interrupting?”

It was Rei Kasangi.

“I’ll go play some ball with the boys, catch you later.”

Soon, it was only Luther and Rei.

“Rei…”

“Luther.”

Jones looked deep into her eyes. She was notorious among her fellow GUARD to be aloof and distant, though she did change and develop friendships with the others. He knew her to have built walls around her heart and let few people in. And he looked into her eyes, he saw all of the walls fall, one after the other. And he saw Her: strong and beautiful, wounded, like him.

And words were not necessary.

They went to her quarters and made insanely passionate love. Two wounded souls communing into one. Two death dealers celebrating life, maybe for the last time.

For one of those rare times, Jones felt at peace. Relaxed. Serene.

“I don’t usually do this.” Rei said.

“Neither do I.” Jones answered.

“I don’t know what possessed me.”

“Don’t try to understand it. Just live it. Embrace the present. We may not have a tomorrow.” Jones said.

“Then.” Rei said, her mouth less than inch from his. ”Let us make the most of right now.”

And they did.

ALASKA

SHELBY’S UNDERGROUND BASE

THE NEXT DAY

Project Lindwurm was almost complete, Shelby was thinking.

So far, Watkins has been able to use Exodus and whatever Men In Black type goons he had working for him to hide the truth from the people and even the survivors of the Museum attack, weeks ago, were led to believe that they were dealing with drugged up psychos disguised as monsters.

But soon, they will be faced with the horrific reality, with the awful truth, when Shelby unleashes his children unto the targets that were selected by his benefactors.

The world will never recover from it and-

Shelby’s thoughts were interrupted by sirens. Alarms were blaring in the complex. What the hell…

Was the base under attack? That couldn’t be…That was impossible. Who…How…

Then, explosions…explosions rocked the complex. The automated defense systems were activated.

Who the Hell could it be?

ROLLS WALKER AND VINSON GIBB, WERE LEADING THE ATTACK WHILE FLYING HARRIERS, while a big C-130, also outfitted with 20mm cannons and hellfire missiles, flown by Timmy and Daisy Flowers, GUARD pilots, was containing the remainder of the troops.

Watkins was looking at his army: Exodus, the DOGs, the GUARD, Roger Stevens and Luther Jones. All were wearing special armor, designed to whistand bullets, shrapnel and, hopefully, attacks from mutated terrorists. Also, each armor was filled with its own personal defense system in things got ugly, up close and impossible to solve with a gun.

“I feel like Master Chief in the HALO videogame.” Leskow said.

“I think that’s the general idea, man.” Ramon Del Gotto said.

“This is it, people.” Watkins said. “This is the big one. If we fail, there’s no telling what unholy havoc Shelby with wreak on the world. One way or the other, this ends here and now.”

Tom Gellar spoke up: “Ladies, gentlemen. You are the finest assembly of warriors I have ever worked with. Serving with all of you and getting to know you the last few weeks has been an honor. HOOYEAH.”

The whole crew: “HOOYEAH!”

“Lads.” Ryker said. “You all know the old SAS saying: who dares, wins. We dared to take the fight to Shelby, we must win. Let’s show that tosser and his fucking menagerie what we’re made of.”

“Testify, brother, testify!” Rochenoire said. There were some noisy cheers. Then, the Wolf rose his hand. And everyone became silent.

“This is judgement day.” Mitchell said. “We bring retribution to Shelby and justice for the victims. And if not, we shall meet at the gates of Valhalla.”

Again, more cheers. Then all eyes turned towards Luther Jones, with whom this had all started. He put on his sky diving goggles and said:

“Time to go to work.”

The plan was simple. Drop a team at each corner of the base and they would work their way towards the middle. The exact location of the lab wasn’t clear, so they would have to look for it.

Hundreds of mercenary troops came out of the woodwork, along with several beast-men, to counter the ground invasion.

DOGs took north, GUARD took South, Exodus took East and Luther Jones, Roger Stevens and John Watkins, wearing an advanced version of the armor they all had, with Helmet and shoulder 7,62mm cannons and built-in exo-skeletton to increase strength, took West.

Stevens: “It’s clobberin’ time.”

IN THE AIR, ROLLS, GIBB, DAISY AND TIMMY LIN WERE WATCHING OVER THE scene.

“Damn! They’re gonna need some serious back up!” Gibb said.

“Roger that, Gibb.” Rolls answered. “Man, I wish I was down there, side by side with my team.”

“Don’t worry about it, sugar.” Daisy Flowers said, with deep southern drawl, “they need you us, up here, so-“

Then, one of roofs on one of the buildings in the complex opened.

“Look alive, people!” Timmy Lin said. “Potential bogies, or maybe surface to air missiles!”

The experience pilots and warriors were ready for anything, except for actually came of there.

Three 30 feet long serpents, with gigantic bat-like wings, four legs and at each paw, three fingers at then end of which were wickedly long and sharp looking talons.

“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.” Rolls said.

“Afraid not, brother.” Gibb said. “Can’t bring myself to say it, though.”

“Dragons.” Timmy Lin said. “Fucking DRAGONS!”

“Evasive manuvers!” Rolls said.

They broke formation as streams of fire tore through the sky, barely missing them.

“All right, dragons slayers.” Rolls said. “Let’s slay ourselves some fuckin’ dragons.”

“Those are some huge bastards!” Daisy said.

“It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight.” Rolls said.” But the size of the fight in the dog. LET’S DO THIS!”

THE GUARD, ALL ARMED WITH M-4 CARBINES WITH 100 ROUND DRUM MAGS, FITTED with 40 mil bloop guns was getting attacked by a pack of wolf-men and armoured mercenaries.

“INCOMING” Ryker shouted, raising his weapon towards a gangway, strafing four henchmen with modified armor-piercing explosive .223 slugs. But the three men-wolves with them avoided the gunfire and came down at them.

Ryker lept and rolled away as they landed on the space he’d occupied only seconds earlier. Del Gotto and Lin hosed them down with long full auto bursts.

Meanwhile, Jager and Rochenoire took out a half dozen adversaries with their own fire, just as Priest fired a special 40 mil frag at another cluster of five soldiers, sending them up, up and away in one more pieces.

A man-wolf jumped Rei Kasangi and knocked away her rifle. She ducked under a right hand slash that would have gutted her, if not for exceptional reflexes. He performed a sweeping kick at the creature’s kneecap, knocking it off balance and on its back. Before it could recover, it was double-tapped in the head with two moidified .45 acp rounds from Rei’s Glock 21.

“Stay.” She told the headless monster.

“Was that a quip?” Rochenoire said.

“Sounds that way.” Del Gotto said. “Mark that day on your calendar, guys: on the same day, a dog fight with dragons and Rei dropping one liners.”

“I knew getting her to watch Schwarzenegger movies wasn’t a waste.” Rochenoire said.

“Come on, guys, we still got work to do. “Priest said.

THE DOGs, CARRYING THE SAME MODIFIED M4 CARBINES, WERE FIGHTING JUST as hard against a group of armed alligator-men.

“Hey, honey.” Toshiro told Kerry. “How about a nice set of gator-skin luggage?”

“I would really love that. “ Kerry said, firing a short burst, forcing the enemy back to cover.

Kyle kissed his girlfriend on the lips and broke out of cover, zig-zagging towards a small group of mutated terrorists, holding a satchel charge.

Toshiro, to himself: “Toshiro breaking for the in-zone, slipping through defenses, he’s going for the long bomb and he launches it.. FIRE IN THE HOLE!”. And he throws the satchel at five gator men, well covered by pipes and ventilations ducts and runs back and slides back next to Kerry.

The bomb goes off. Five pounds of C-4 combined with steel ball-bearings blowing apart the gator-men, and their cover, splattering gore and chunks of steel all over the place.

“Touchdown, ya ugly fuckers!” Toshiro yelled.

Meanwhile, a half-dozen machine gun armed men-bats came swooping down at the five DOGs.

“Oi! Heads up!” Razorback shouted.

“Holy mutated flying menace, Batman.” Leskow said, just before he and Mitchell ducked out of their fire.

“Those freaks are pretty fast.” The Wolf said. “Hopefully, this will even the odds.” He pulled a small device out of one of his pockets. A remote control sized object and pushed a button.

The men-bats seemed dropped their weapons and held their heads in what seemed like agonizing pain.

Ultrasonics.

Mitchell and Leskow then picked them off, in the air, one by one, using single shots.

Razorback was occupied taking down a cluster of five mercs that were trying to rush them. The high velocity special ammo tore through them like a hot knife through wet tissue paper and they went down in boneless, hacked up, bloody meat.

“All bloody clear!” Razor said.

“Good work, babe.” Leskow said.

“I miss using me throwin’ knives, but I guess this will do.” Razor answered.

Leskow looked up. His heart went to Rolls, his brother from another mother, fighting dragons. Literally.

Mitchell slapped him on the shoulder: “ Rolls can handle himself, Peter. And he’s got help. We’re not done yet, down here.”

“I know.” Rock said. “Let’s move.”

THE EXODUS GROUP WAS PRESSING THROUGH A MIX OF HUMAN AND INHUMAN enemies as well.

Perry just took out a small group of six mercs that were trying to intercept them with a 40 mil HE round.

Large muscular gorillas appeared out of everywhere.

“Hey, Perry.” Moreno said. “That one looks like your mom.”

“Fuck off.” Perry said.

“You want that to be your dying words?” Luis Walker said.

“No. Because I don’t plan on dying just yet.” Moreno said.

“Grease those monkeys!” Gellar said.

The team rose automatic weapons and fired at the super-nimble, super-fast tinkered apes.

One of them disarmed Burchette and knocked her down. And three of them were closing in on her, drooling.

As she scrambled for sidearm, all of them had their heads blown off by single shots. Unmistakably Moreno’s Automag. And they fell back.

Moreno ran to her and helped her up. She was shaken. “Thanks, Paul.”

“It was a selfish act. If you die, Tom gets sexually frustrated. And nobody was a horny sailor as a boss.”

“You silly-“ Her eyes went wide. “Look out!”

Moreno pushed her down. She saw him move as two great apes landed next to him. He was holding two blood slicked swords. And the gorillas stood there for a second. Before their heads fell off. The second before, his eyes were full humor, then they were cold, hard like his swords.

The gorilla onslaught was soon over.

“Boss.” Moreno said.

“Yeah.” Gellar said, reloading his weapon.

Moreno:“’Grease those monkeys??!’”. And you rag on me because of MY jokes?”

Gellar allowed himself a smile. “Come on, let’s finish this.”

JOHN WATKINS FIRED HIS .308 WRIST GUNS, TAKING OUT A QUARTET OF HIRED thugs coming his way.

Luther Jones and Roger Stevens were right behind him. Jones with a 7, 62 mm M-60, fitted with a 12 round 40mm grenade launcher AND Stevens with a 50 Cal Machine gun.

Then they heard a shriek.

Hawkmen, swooping down on them. Half a dozen of them.

A mix of 50 cal rounds and 7,62mm slugs went through the sky, from Jones and Stevens’ guns and Watkins’ shoulder guns. Shooting the birds out of the sky.

Then, Jones saw, on the ground, a group of humanoid looking snake-men. Cobras, to be exact.

“Look out!” The Sentencer said, ducking out the way as one of them spit his venom. The thick liquid hit Stevens’ protected forearm. His armor-plate began to melt. Stevens removed it.

The Sentencer fired a 40 mil High Explosive round at the group of two legged reptiles and they were blown apart.

“Stevens!” Jones called out.

Stevens “I’ll be fine. I’m healing already.”

Watkins, voice modified by his armor helmet: “Incoming!”

Several leaping Jaguar men with razor sharp talons appeared all around them. The three warriors wasted no time and fired at them, slaying a few, while others dodged the fire and leaped at the trio.

One of the mutated terrorists disarmed Stevens, while another tackled Watkins and knocked him down. The Sentencer also was disarmed quickly.

Stevens ducked beneath a right hand slash from his assailant and responded with an uppercut, then a spinning heel kick to the sternum that sent the jag-man flying backwards into two more of the modified maulers. Stevens jumped at them, curled in a ball between the two adversairies and extended his legs, perfectly parallel to the ground and connected with their necks. They snapped instantly and the monsters went down.

Meanwhile, Watkins fired both his wrist guns at his attacker’s head, blowing it into crimson paste. He then fired his shoulder guns at three more that were running at him, stopping them dead in their tracks.

Three jag-men attacked Luther Jones. The Sentencer threw a fist at one of them. Then, the retractable foot long blade that came out of his forearm armor-plates was out, went into the creatures mouth and came out of his skull. The vigilante then ducked and pivoted, dodging the attack from the other two jag men and cutting their legs off at the knees, while pulling out his .50 AE Desert Eagle, still spinning, aiming it at two more mutated men-cats and taking their heads off with modified slugs.

The threat was over. For now.

The Sentencer took his M-60 back. Stevens picked up his 50 cal.

“You okay, Watkins?” Jones said.

“Getting too old for this shit.” Watkins said. “But I’m fine.”

All three men took a second to look up to see the dog fight between the pilots from GUARD, Exodus and the DOGs versus dragons.

Jones thought to himself that not too long ago, he would have not believed his eyes. He wished the pilots luck as his allies moved on.

“RUNNING LOW AND AMMO, GUYS!” DAISY FLOWERS TOLD HER FELLOW PILOTS.

“Same here!” Gibb said. “We gotta close this down, quick!”

“Hang in there, guys! We can nail these bastards!” Rolls said.

“C-130 wasn’t built for dogfights!” Timmy Lin said. “We’re-“

Soon, a stream of fire engulfed the modified cargo plane.

“Lin! Flowers!” Rolls shouted.

The C-130 came out the fire. It was still in one piece, but sustained some heavy damage.

“Shit!” Timmy Lin said. “Everything’s overheating, landing gear’s welded shut, weapons systems aren’t working.”

“Guys, retreat!” Rolls shout. “Bail out when you’re out of reach.”

“Cargo door won’t open.” Timmy Lin said. “Bailing out isn’t possible.”

“Engines are over heating, gonna blow up any second.”

Gibb: “Then get outta here, we got this.”

Daisy: “By the time we found a safe landing zone, we’d blow up from the over heating.”

Silence on the air waves.

Daisy: “Only one way to end this, honey.”

Timmy: “Yeah.”

The C-130 turned around, turning towards one of the dragons, full speed.

“What the hell-“Rolls started. Then, he understood. And his heart sank. “Guys, you don’t have to do this.”

Gibb: “That ain’t necessary! Fall back!”

Daisy, on the radio: “Guys? Can you hear me. It’s been a blast working with you guys, sugars. All good things…you know the rest.”

Lin Fan Gau got on the line: “No, wait, what are you guys doing!”

Timmy Lin: “Big Brother. It was an honor. I love you. It is time.”

All of the members of all the teams were hearing this.

Lin Fau Gau: “Timmy! Timmmmeeeeeeeeee! NOOOOOOOO!”

In the sky, all three dragons fired a stream at the coming C-130, but it didn’t stop and it rammed the head dragon and both the plane and the dragon exploded.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Gibb and Rolls fired their last remaining missiles and 20 mm rounds at the dragons and decapitated them both.

Lin Fau Gau: “Timmy…Timmy…”And he cried. Its was Rei who caught him and held him.

The corpses of the beheaded dragons fell towards the earth. Nearly 60 metric tons crashed down on the buildings and fell through the roofs.

SHELBY COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. ALL THE ODDS WERE with him.

And he was losing! The dragons-

His thoughts were interrupted as the complex ceiling collapsed as dragon carcasses crashed through, destroying billions of dollars worth of equipment.

Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!

They were the monsters! Exodus and their allies, they had to be! No mere humans could have done this!

ROLLS WATCHED THE GUTTED BUILDING FROM HIS POSITION AND SAW THE COMPLEX.

Rolls: “Message to all teams! The complex is right beneath me. Repeat, the lab complex is right beneath me!”

THE SENTENCER, WATKINS AND STEVENS WERE NEAREST TO THE LAB.

Jones started sprinting towards the location.

He’d heard Timmy Lin’s and Daisy Flowers sacrifice on the air. Mourn later. Now, finish the job. Put an end to this horror.

Put an end to Shelby.

More hawkmen came at them. A dozen of them.

“Jones!” Watkins said. “We got this! Go!”

“Watkins, ARE YOU-“

“Fuckin’ GO, soldier! Make sure Shelby doesn’t escape, otherwise all this will be for nothing! GO.”

Jones ran as hard and as fast as he could, hearing the automatic fire behind him. Watkins was right. If Shelby disappeared, everything would go to waste.

He ran into a half dozen Gorilla-men, he burned the rest of his 7,62mm bullets on them.

He then grabbed the 60 by the barrel, as more beast-men came at him. He could see the collapsed lab behind them. He couldn’t be stopped now.

He swung his rifle like a club, powerful, terrible, precise blows that cracked skulls open like eggs. He killed four like that. He dropped the 60 and pulled the Desert Eagle out of its holster. Three gator men came out of the collapsed building, without slowing down, Jones rose his gun and blew them away. A bullet each. He ran past them before they even dropped to the ground. He reloaded his pistol.

He was not going to be stopped by anyone or anything. Not when he was so close to his goal.

The building was formerly three or four stories high. Part of it was still standing.

Jones shot a bullet into a door’s lock and kicked the door open. He saw the dragon carcasses sprawled out all over the complex, which was about as big as supermarket. They had fallen on equipment and effectively crushed it. Rows of what seemed like big glass tubes, knocked over and destroyed. This was where Shelby created his abominations.

A noise came from behind him. Jones tuned around, Eagle at the ready. It was probably just piece of debris. He turned around.

A blow knocked the wind out of him and sent him sliding on the ground and he lost his pistol. If not for the armor, his ribs might have been drive through his organs. He shut away the pain and got up two face two men with over developed muscles. Behind them, a tall pale white man in a lab coat.

“Kill him, KILL HIM MY CHILDREN!” He shrieked madly. “TEAR HIM, LIMB FROM LIMB!”

That had to be Shelby, Jones thought. And the muscle men were followed by dog-men, rat-men, lizard-men.

A dozen in all.

All right, then. All right.

It was time to show Shelby was true monster was. His head filled with the screams of the dead and dying in the museum, the sight of Bryce Howard. The young boy who watched his mother torn apart by one of this man’s creatures.

The Sentencer was going to avenge all of those victims. And he couldn’t die before he was finished.

Spinning heel kick to the throat of one of the men and jumping side kick in the other’s throat. Both had their necks snapped and larynxes crushed and fell down.

Both his retractable blades came out of his forearms.

Two rat-men stabbed through the heart.

Two dog-men decapitated.

Two lizard-men cut in half.

Two more dog-men cut in half from groin to head.

Two-more lizard men with throats slit.

Two-rat men stabbed through the head.

During the mélée, Jones had been hit and cut, but felt nothing. The pain was locked away, and so was his mercy. His blades slick with blood, he walked towards Shelby.

“No…No…what…are you…”Shelby said, backing up.

“I’m retribution. I’m vengeance. I’m The Sentencer.”

Jones grabbed Shelby by the neck, and pushed him against a wall.

“I spent every night of the last month trying to think of ways to kill you.” Jones said. “But, I need you alive. Who bankrolled your operation.”

“What?”

One of the wrist blades grazed Shelby’s groin.

“You ever see a man bleed out after his genitals have been removed?” Jones said. “I have. Entertaining sight. The man squeals like a pig, writhing in pain, bleeding. Survival is always possible. But the pain. No the agony…”

“You mean who financed this…”

“Smart boy.”

“Oh…god…oh please…I don’t know…”

“Wrong answer.”

The blade missed the groin by less than an inch and went into the wall.

“I swear to Christ! I don’t know. God, please…I just spoke to them via-e-mails and the phone, I swear.”

Jones, frustrated and angry, squeezed on the man’s neck until Shelby passed out.

The rest of the teams arrived. Watkins removed his helmet. He was about to say something.

“He’s still alive, Watkins.” Jones said.

“Fucker! MOTHERFUCKER!” Lin Fan Gau said with his gun out, to kill Shelby.

Jones disarmed and held Lin against a wall.

“He killed my brother…Lemme go…Lemme go…” Lin Fan Gau said, tears in his eyes.

Jones has seen Lin like this once before, thinking his brother was dead. This time, he’d heard his brother die live.

“Listen to me, Fan Gau.” Jones said. “This isn’t quite over. We could find out who paid for all of this. Then, you can take your time and kill him. If you do it before, Timmy will have died for nothing.”

Fan Gau calmed down. Ryker and Rochenoire came to take him and walk him outside.

Watkins was calling choppers from the nearest military base.

The Sentencer stood. Looked over at Mitchell and the DOGs. Mitchell nodded at him. So did Priest from the GUARD. Gellar went to him.

“Good work.” Gellar said.

Jones nodded.

Soon, choppers came to get them, no questions asked.

The base was sanitized with a nuclear device. And the nightmare vanished.

THE NEXT DAY

SECONDARY EXODUS BASE

Watkins came to see the teams. Shelby had spent hours in Psi-Division.

Watkins sighed: “He wasn’t lying. He knows nothing.” He looked over at Lin Fan Gau. “He’s all yours. If you want.”

Lin got up and looked over at Jones.

“Come with me, please.”

Jones, surprised, nodded and followed him.

They found Shelby tied to a chair. He rose his head and saw Jones and Lin.

“Please…I don’t know anything…”He begged.

Lin pulled out a 9mm Glock and aimed it at Shelby. His hand shook. He lowered it.

“I can’t…”Lin said.

“You can’t kill in cold blood.” Jones said. “That’s ok.”

“I can’t even…”Lin started.

“Don’t finish that thought.” Jones said. “You’re not a murderer. There are worse things. I’m sure Timmy would agree.”

Jones took the pistol. And said:

“Me, on the other hand…”

Jones shot Shelby in both kneecaps and he yelled in agony. Then, a headshot.

“Thanks, man.” Lin said.

They walked out. Ryker and Rochenoire went to take Lin.

Watkins looked at the assembled teams. “You all did a hell of a good job. This wouldn’t have been possible without you. This victory was costly, but I think we did the victims justice. Thanks to all of you.”

And he turned towards Luther Jones. “And you too, pal.” Watkins extended his hand and Jones took it. And the cries of the victims at the museum were silent. For now.

“One more thing.” Watkins said. “You realized with this whole mess that you can’t fight every war alone. So, this could be your chance to join of our teams. Wipe your record. Fake your death. And most importantly, have access to weapons and intel and the means to fight your war the way it should be fought.”

Jones looked at all three teams.

“Well, what do you say, big man?” Watkins asked.

Watkins had a point. Jones had already been arrested twice. He barely escaped death several times. Realistically, it was a question of time before his luck ran out.

Things had to change.

And Jones spoke.

EPILOGUE

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

SHELBY’S BENFACTORS

“It was a risky venture, sir. It could have paid off.”

“Yes.” The Man In Charge sighed.

“We will keep looking, of course, for other opportunities.”

“Of course. Leave me please.”

The rest of the consortium left the room.

Yes, yet another defeat.

But soon, he would get his revenge.

Soon.

THE END

THE SENTENCER CREATED BY BLACKSTONE

EXODUS GROUP CREATED BY PATRIOT

DOGS CREATED BY DOUGLAS PETER WOJTOWICZ

THE GUARD CREATED BY THE GUARD WRITERS (ROB, AXEMILI, JACK MURPHY, BLACKSTONE, DOUG, FROGMAN, PATRIOT)