20.

Liz Clark sat at her workstation chewing on the end of a pencil and stared blankly at the wall. Phillip had gone to bed and she insisted she would join him after catching up on some paperwork. Now that she sat alone at her desk, she found it hard to concentrate. It didn't help to know just down the hall two strangers slept.

Something was odd about the two men and the tall loud one with the long hair gave her the w.i.l.l.i.e.s. She didn't like the way he looked at her all the time. He sure didn't look like a prison guard to her, but then again, when had she ever seen one except for in the movies? Still, he gave her the creeps and she felt uneasy being alone with those two. Liz loved Phillip dearly but he was an intellectual, not somebody who was likely to fight to defend the honor of his lady. Even if he was, the tall guard looked like he was perfectly capable of pummeling her Phillip.

She clicked off her desk light and accepted the fact that no paperwork would get done that night. She was just being paranoid. When Ron and Lisa got back, those two guards would be on their way, and things would get back to normal. Liz heard a creak in the floor behind her and she spun around her chair to see what made the noise.

Once Carl heard the steady breathing coming from Howard's bed he relaxed a little. Howard was a skinny little know-it-all p.u.s.s.y, but Carl had to admit, he liked the guy. They made a pretty good team. But he had a feeling old Howie would probably get in the way of what he had planned tonight.

He quietly slipped out of bed and stuck his head out the doorway of their room. The coast was clear and he walked down the hall as softly as possible.

The door to the Clark's room was open a crack and Carl could make out the form of Phillip in bed. He saw the steady rise and fall of his chest and Carl smiled to himself. This was going to be easier than he thought.

He slowly walked down the hall to the lab area, the steady hum of the ventilation system drowning out the sound of his footsteps, and he reached the open door. Liz sat at desk with her back to him. She was leaning back in her chair and looked like she was chewing on the end of a pencil. Carl could smell the shampoo scent from her hair and his pulse quickened. His grip on the doorframe tightened and he considered maybe, just maybe, she'd be down for it. There was no way that scrawny little p.r.i.c.k of a husband knew how to handle her. Maybe alone in this tube in the middle of nowhere she was aching for it. Asking for it. Wanting it. He couldn't decide which was hotter a begging him to stop or begging for it harder. Maybe he'd get lucky and have it both ways.

He put his hand on the comforting bulge created by the Glock tucked in his pants and shifted his weight to the other foot. The floor creaked and Liz turned around.

21.

The most challenging thing about the cold climate was how it slowed it down and made it stiff. It didn't find the cold uncomfortable as much as it found it annoying. The cold dulled its senses. Made it groggy and sluggish.

Of course, the prey made it simple enough to follow them. It could smell them for what seemed like miles and it was easy enough to track them by their odor trail alone.

It was actually somewhat pleased they fled from the place that reeked of death and decay. This pair was the last of their kind in that place. Perhaps they would lead it to a place far less rank and with greater opportunities for hunting.

After it made the slow and steady journey of following the prey it was pleased to discover such a place did indeed exist. Once inside the structure, it could clearly smell and hear two more of them. In addition to that, it could smell faint signatures of others recently present. Excellent.

The structure was warm and it decided to hide and wait for full strength to return as the warmth slowly thinned its blood and eased the ache in its bones. These creatures seemed to prefer the structure interiors as well and it saw no other buildings in the area. The prey would remain close. It would wait for the proper time to strike and savor the final moments of the hunt. The final moments before the kill.

22.

"Carl, you startled me," said Liz. "I didn't hear you come in."

"What are you still doing up? I figured you'd be tucked in with your husband."

"Oh, just finishing up some work. I was actually just heading off to bed now." She got up from her chair and offered Carl a forced smile. He stared back at her blankly and didn't move from the doorway. "I suppose I could ask you the same thing. Aren't you just exhausted?"

"I'm okay," he replied quietly. "I'm still a bit keyed up, I guess it must be the coffee. I was hoping the two of us could have a little chat."

Liz took a step back and leaned against the desk. "I'd love to talk, but let's do it over breakfast if you wouldn't mind. I'm pretty beat."

To Liz's relief, Carl moved from the doorway and walked over to the bulletin board on the wall. He looked at the a.s.sortment of snapshots, mostly of her and Phillip on their adventures. "Oh, I won't keep you but a few minutes," he said. "It's been a while since I talked to a pretty lady. You understand, right? Cooped up with all those men, a fellow can feel pretty lonely, you know?"

Liz took a step towards the door and Carl matched her, once again blocking the door. "You must feel a little cooped up yourself, I imagine."

"No, I'm fine," she snapped. "Good night, Carl." She lowered her head and walked forward, praying that he would step aside and let her pa.s.s. He didn't budge and she stopped abruptly before b.u.mping into him. He reached to grab her arm and Liz flinched, trying to pull it away. She wasn't quite fast enough and he clamped onto her forearm with his ma.s.sive hand.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

He pushed her back into the wall and tried to put his other hand over her mouth as she struggled. She could smell his sour breath and dirty hair.

She screamed out her husband's name before he clamped his hand over her mouth and nose, m.u.f.fling her screaming. Liz opened her mouth and found the fleshy part of Carl's hand. She bit down hard and tasted blood.

"Motherf.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h!" Carl threw her to the floor. Liz called for her husband again. "Shut the f.u.c.k up." He kicked her in the stomach.

Phillip appeared in the doorway, a look of panic and confusion on his face, as he attempted to finish putting on his robe. He saw Liz on the floor and went for her.

Carl pulled the gun from his belt and jammed the muzzle into Philip's chest before he could reach Liz. "Not so fast, little man." Carl gave him a push backwards. Phillip stumbled and fell back onto the desktop behind him.

Carl kept the Glock trained on his face. "My buddy and I will be out of your hair soon enough, but first me and the little lady here are going to have some fun. Now get the f.u.c.k out of here unless you want to be a widower in about five seconds."

"Don't hurt her," Phillip stammered. "Please. Money! We have some cash. Credit cards. Take whatever you want, just don't..."

"I ain't interested in your money! Now I'm not going to tell you again. Get out."

Liz let out an ear-piercing scream and jumped from the floor. She attempted to smash the gun out of Carl's hand by bringing both fists down on his arm. Phillip took the opportunity and also lunged at Carl. He lost his balance and all three of them crashed to the floor. Carl tried to block Liz's frantic blows with one hand while trying to hold onto the gun with his other hand as Phillip tried to wrestle it away.

Carl's grip on the gun loosened as Phillip desperately tried to pry it from his fingers. Liz clawed at his face and his vision was blurred from blood and sweat that ran into his eyes. Just as Carl feared that he might let go, his index finger found the trigger and he yanked it. The Glock recoiled. He felt Phillip let go of the gun and Liz stopped hitting him.

23.

Howard sat up in his bunk, confused and startled. Did he get woken up by a loud noise or was that part of his dream? In his dreams, a woman was crying and screaming, but he couldn't remember the details. He looked over at Carl's empty bed and then heard the same woman's voice crying once again from down the hall. It was Liz. He shot out of bed and headed for the commotion.

He reached the lab and it took a moment for his mind to comprehend the scene before him. Liz was kneeling on the floor cradling Phillip's head in her arms. His eyes were open, his chest covered in blood. Liz, also covered in blood, rocked back and forth and sobbed.

Carl stood in the corner of the room holding the gun and wiping his face off with a paper towel. He noticed Howard and started to chuckle. "Hey man, sorry to wake you." He hawked a wad of phlegm and blood into the paper towel and tossed it to the floor. "I gotta hand it to this little girl, she's a firecracker. Got in a few good licks." He inspected the deep gash in his palm where Liz had bitten.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Liz screamed. Howard jumped at the noise.

"All right now," Carl said to Howard. "Before you get your panties in a bunch, let me explain."

"He tried to rape me and then he murdered Phillip," Liz cried.

"Yeah well, I guess that does pretty much sum it up," Carl chuckled. "Come on Missy," he placed the muzzle of the Glock on Liz's temple and pulled her up by her hair. Liz cried out and Phillip's head fell to the floor with a sick thump. "We ain't done yet. You'll have plenty of time to cry over your dead hubby later if you're a good girl."

Howard finally snapped out of it. "Carl, for Christ's sake, that's enough. Leave her alone."

"I'll leave her alone when I'm good and G.o.dd.a.m.ned ready," he roared. He pointed the gun at Howard. "I don't have time for your s.h.i.t, man. You said you were on my team so get the h.e.l.l out of my way."

Howard's courage evaporated looking down the barrel of the gun and he stepped aside. "That a boy," said Carl. "Gimme a few minutes and you're welcome to some sloppy seconds. You do like girls, don't you?" Howard swallowed and said nothing.

Liz renewed her struggling as Carl attempted to drag her down the hall to the bedroom. Howard stood motionless for a moment as guilt washed over him. He thought of how Steve Creighton didn't bat an eye when Howard shoved a gun in his face, but when Carl did it to him, he froze with terror.

Every day, Howard wished he could go back and prevent the shootings and restore the lives he destroyed in his moment of madness. Now he was faced with the choice of whether or not he could do the right thing here in the present. He knew if he stood by and let Carl rape and kill that woman, he was no better than the drunken lunatic that killed those people back in Wisconsin.

He quickly scanned the room for any kind of weapon and grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall. It wasn't much, but it was made of metal and it was solid. Howard pictured sneaking up behind Carl and hitting him on the back of the head with it. He could even spray him in the face, temporarily blinding him, and hopefully grab the gun.

Howard left the room, peered around the corner, and down the hall. Carl and Liz were about to enter the bedroom that he and Carl shared. They stood in the doorway for a moment and Howard snuck down the hall, picking up speed. He held his breath and lifted the extinguisher, ready to strike. In a matter of seconds he would be directly behind Carl and bring it down on his neck with all his strength.

They stayed in the doorway, yet just as Howard was about to reach them, Liz let out a scream. Howard stopped. He saw Liz struggle frantically to get away from Carl and she actually succeeded. She tripped over her own feet and tumbled backwards to the floor. He saw Carl continue to stand motionless in the door, which confused Howard, especially since Liz was getting to her feet. She was screaming as loudly as ever with a look of terror on her face that didn't quite match the threat that Carl seemed to no longer produce.

Howard was splattered with blood as something suddenly protruded out of Carl's back. He dropped the fire extinguisher and wiped his eyes. Howard could hear Liz, still screaming, running down the hall behind him, yet he didn't move. He watched as what appeared to be a set of large talons grip Carl's torso. Carl jerked and convulsed, producing a horrible gurgling noise from his mouth, just before he was torn in two. Carl's lower half, from the pelvis down, fell to the floor and was showered in blood and bodily fluids from the upper half. That was still being held up by what looked like a large lobster claw. The claw released Carl's upper half and it fell to the floor.

24.

It stood about four feet tall but only because it appeared to be hunched over. If it stood on its hind legs, it would have been twice that. There were six appendages - two long hind legs with hoofed feet, two thin front legs with three long toes each, and two arms which appeared to have the sole purpose of killing.

On the end of the right arm was a long black barb or stinger. That's what stabbed Carl clean through his back. On the left arm was the large claw. The claw, dripping with Carl's blood, continually clicked open and closed.

As terrifying as the lobster claw from h.e.l.l was, it was the thing's head that really turned Howard's blood into ice water. It had a long beak-like face with large nostrils rapidly opening and closing as the thing breathed. Below the beak was a set of mandibles with razor sharp teeth. The mandibles opened and closed and a horrible low clucking sound escaped from the mouth as a pointy tongue darted in and out. Two large black eyes, sunken deep into the grey skull, completed the package. They stared at Howard. Unmoving and unblinking.

Howard took a step back and tripped on the fire extinguisher he just dropped. The beast released a loud squeal and took a few cautious steps towards him. Howard scrambled back to his feet and ran down the hallway after Liz. The exterior door was open at the end of the hall and he escaped into the frigid darkness.

He instantly regretted not taking a few seconds to put his shoes on earlier, as he ran through the crusty snow and ice in stocking feet. Fifty yards from the main compound sat large shed next to the helicopter pad. Howard could make out Liz through the darkness as she struggled with the shed door. She finally got it open and disappeared inside. He tripped and fell, rose to his feet again, and glanced behind him. The creature had just emerged from the compound and was following him.

Howard reached the locked door and pounded on it with a frozen fist. He pleaded for Liz to open the door but was greeted by silence from the other side. The creature was closing in. It wasn't exactly running, it was steadily lurching forward as if in pain or having difficulty moving through the snow.

He ran around to the other side of the shed and found an unlocked door. He entered and was face to face with Liz, holding a crowbar at the ready. Howard ducked a second before Liz swung it at his head, just missing him by inches. She swung again and the crowbar hit his left shoulder. The pain in his arm was excruciating, but the adrenalin did its job and he was able to evade another blow.

He raised his right hand and tried to back away. "Stop, please! I'm not going to hurt you!"

The look in Liz's eyes was pure hatred as she raised the crowbar again, ready to strike. "What in the h.e.l.l is that thing? Who are you?"

"I'm not a guard, I'm an inmate. And I have no idea what that thing is. I think it must have followed us from the prison camp. Please, put that down. I swear, I'm not going to hurt you, but that thing is right behind me outside."

"Why did you come here?" She was crying now, but still ready to strike with crowbar. "Why didn't you just leave us alone?"

"I'm sorry. I had no idea what Carl was capable of. I know you don't trust me, but please believe me when I say I was going to do everything in my power to stop him from hurting you. But right now, what's important is that thing out there. That monster, alien, whatever it is, is going to kill us unless we work together."

Silence.

Howard clutched his shoulder and risked a step forward. "Please, Liz."

She motioned with her head towards the other side of the room. "I saw a couple of long pipes over there, I think. What we could really use is that gun your friend had."

"I wouldn't exactly call him a friend." Her icy stare bore into him and she said nothing. "Never mind." Howard picked up one of the pipes. It was about four feet long and made of iron. Definitely bludgeon worthy.

A loud slam on the door made them both jump. It was immediately followed by another. Howard raised the pipe, grimaced at the pain in his shoulder, and moved closer to Liz.

The door crashed open and the thing burst into the shed. It ran straight at Liz. She swung the crow bar, point down, and it dug deep into its back. The creature squealed in pain and lashed out with its claw. Liz was knocked to the floor and Howard swung his pipe. His aim was off and the pipe only grazed the side of the creature's head. The pipe hit the floor hard and Howard lost his grip.

He felt an odd tugging in his abdomen and looked down, shocked to see the creature's stinger had thrusted into his gut. Liz jumped at the monster, grabbed the b.l.o.o.d.y crowbar, and twisted it deeper into its back. The thing squealed again and pulled its stinger out of Howard.

Howard screamed in pain and clutched his abdomen. He attempted to take a few steps away from the monster, but his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.

Liz held the crowbar once again and was having a standoff with the creature. It was clearly hurt and kept a cautious distance from Liz. It squealed in anger and lashed out with its claw. It moved into position between her and Howard on the floor.

"Howard!"

He lay motionless with his back to her.

"Howard, get up!"

She swung the crowbar a couple times and the creature flinched backwards. "Get back!"

Howard slowly got to his knees, clutching his stomach with one hand. Liz was backed into the corner, swinging the crowbar, but the creature was growing impatient and advanced closer.

Howard was losing strength fast and darkness crept into the corners of his vision. He reached a large metal jerry can on the floor by the wall and fumbled with the cap. He managed to get it open despite his slippery and b.l.o.o.d.y hands and was greeted by the strong odor he was hoping for. Kerosene. He reached into his pocket and was relieved to feel the cigarette lighter Carl threw away was still there.

"Hey a.s.shole," he yelled at the thing. It looked away from Liz and squealed at Howard.

"Come on you piece of s.h.i.t! Come get me!" He poured some of the kerosene on the floor in front of him. "Run Liz! Get the h.e.l.l out of here!"

The monster charged at Howard. He lifted the can and started to pour just as the monster reached him. Kerosene splashed onto its face and it shook its head violently back and forth. Its claws sc.r.a.ped at its face as the kerosene burned its eyes and nose. Howard dropped the can and the rest of the contents gushed out on to the floor.

Howard took the lighter from his pocket. He felt as if he had no remaining strength to get his thumb to ignite it. He tried once. Twice. He fell to his knees and tried a third time. The small flame miraculously appeared and Howard held the lighter to the kerosene covered floor in front of him.