Her Heart Beats for Ancient Beasts by Demmer Calvin

Author:Demmer, Calvin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Darkenryde Publishing
Published: 2024-03-16T00:00:00+00:00

SHAPES IN THE WATER

Sirens whined. Dexter Ford knew well-trained special ops forces aided by night-vision goggles were on their trail. These forces had permission to kill if left with no other recourse. Teams would have deployed to defend the target while other units hunted them.

He knew this because moments ago, he had still been one of them.

His brother Michael, who had discharged himself from the same force, crashed into him, sending him to the ground.

“Shit, Dex. I told you to stay low.”

Beams from the base’s towering searchlights missed them as they followed an almost nonexistent path toward the edge of the cliff. Around them various knee-high bushes made movement slow, while farther away, tall trees stood guard. This had been the only way, even if it was the most treacherous, to reach their goal.

Dexter pushed up onto his knees.

“We’ve got to be careful. Otherwise it’s special court-martialing for nothing,” Michael said. “And you know what would happen to us—we’d be locked away forever. Everyone in this force knows the risks.”

“Sorry,” Dexter said.

Michael checked the time on his wristwatch. “We gotta get a move on, and keep as low as possible.”

Dexter looked at the starry sky, which was excellent for navigation but bad for stealth operations. He’d wanted to pack bags with sufficient supplies, but time had been against them. All they managed to take was what they could carry. This boiled down to their weapons, flashlights, a first-aid pack, some snacks, their knives, and two canteens of water. They headed into the unknown unprepared.

Michael asked, “What’s our primary goal?”

“Find cover, assess the situation, find Travis, and get the fuck out.”

“That’s right.”

“Michael, are we sure there is a way out?”

“Yeah… We’ll find it.” Michael pointed ahead. “The cliff’s edge is right there. I don’t think they know we’ve come this way yet. It’s a bit daring.”

Dexter clenched his gun; he didn’t want to have to use it against people he had known for so long.

Michael crept forward, motioning with his hand for Dexter to follow. Dexter obeyed. The movements were sluggish at first, but he soon found a workable rhythm while one eye continued to scan for any men coming out of the line of trees in the distance.

At the cliff’s edge, they resorted to crawling like snakes.

Dexter peered over, cautious of the troops below, who had set up on the riverbanks. The troops were all on red alert. So much as a glimpse of him and his brother, and the firing of weapons would commence. His vision blurred. It all seemed surreal, as if he had shifted into a parallel reality. He thought of his brother Travis. There could be no going back.

“It’s really high,” Dexter said.

“It’s the only way,” Michael said, glancing below. “See how they’ve already secured the entire area down there? Soon they’ll have men here as well.” Michael paused, his breathing audible. “Now, see the river below us?”

“Yeah. Oh shit, is that it?”

“Yes.”

Below them, a dark circle appeared to hover on the surface of the river. It was a strange mixture of purple-and-black streaks.

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