Apex: A Max Ahlgren Novel (Crucible Book 3) by Ryan W. Aslesen

Author:Ryan W. Aslesen [Aslesen, Ryan W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2019-05-06T06:00:00+00:00

13

Max ran headlong through the jungle, crashing through undergrowth and vaulting over rocks and roots as he searched frantically for someplace to make a stand. This wouldn’t have presented a problem had they been fighting men; the jungle offered no lack of cover. But the dinosaurs thrived in this habitat. Can’t hide—they’ll sniff us right out. And unlike men, they nimbly navigated the jungle tangle with ridiculous ease. During their training, all fighting men had it hammered into them to avoid battling in the open at all costs. But this time Max had no choice but to find open ground. We’ll never touch them in these woods.

Several times Max reined in Leseur to keep the guide from outpacing the rest of the team. Swift fought gallantly and efficiently, staying a couple hundred yards behind and firing occasional short bursts to keep the dinosaurs at bay. At some point he’d wisely switched from his 60 to one of the Uzis, after he’d removed the silencer. A necessary waste of ammo, better to use the Uzi as a noise maker than the M60. They would need the machinegun’s firepower when the time came, and Swift could always liberate more 9mm ammo from the enemy.

We’ll have to kill a few of them first.

The spaces between the trees ahead began to lighten. A few seconds later Max and Leseur burst from the jungle into an area of foot-high grass extending about thirty feet to a fence running perpendicular to their course. Max realized with a sinking feeling that his theory had been correct. To the left, the fence ran downhill for less than a mile to the ocean. It continued on to the right uphill, but less than one hundred feet away it intersected with the fence they’d been running parallel to.

Leseur stated the obvious: “We are cornered.”

Max ignored him and stopped running about fifteen feet from the electrified fence. “Prone positions. We finish this here.” He dropped into the grass, slammed a fresh magazine into his rifle, and put a grenade into his M203, setting an extra 40mm HE grenade beside him. Open with that, hopefully take one out first thing.

Swift emerged from the jungle and joined them, moving quite well despite his size and overample gear. He flopped down to Otto’s right, put one of his Uzis in the grass, and reloaded his 60.

“How long until they get here?” Max asked.

“Fuck, I don’t know... A minute? Goddamn things move through the trees like ballet dancers.”

“Hit any?” Otto asked.

“Once or twice with the pop gun. Didn’t do shit. There are only two of them now; the rest bugged out.”

“Get a grenade ready,” Max ordered. “Our best chance is when—”

A man dressed in black walked out of the jungle off to their left, near the intersection of fences. The troops herding the lizards were dressed and equipped for combat, but this man looked late for a date at the parade ground. Silver buttons, shoulder boards, and collar tabs trimmed his fitted black dress-uniform, which featured a double-breasted tunic and a pair of baggy jodhpurs tucked into knee-high jackboots.

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